Grace - What I wish I knew in high school
Welcome back friends!!
Today’s blog post was inspired by a precious young lady named Lexi. I met her when she was in third grade and in the 10 years I’ve known her, one thing has always stood out; if she wants to know more about something, she is not afraid to ask questions and pursue answers!
So it was no surprise when I received a text from her asking:
“What is something you wish you had known in high school?”
I have asked myself this question many times and had a couple different answers I could share, but asked her for some time to think it over. I wanted to make sure I was intentional in my response to be specific to her.
A few hours later, I text her back with my response. What is one thing I wish I would’ve known in high school....
GRACE
Let me expand,
When I was in high school, I labeled myself a “good, Christian girl” and I felt that I had to live up to a specific standard. The pressure to never mess up, meet all expectations, and stay away from anyone who didn’t do the same; a pressure that I created for myself.
Before I continue, let me clarify; this is NOT what is expected of Christians! We will mess up, we aren’t going to nor should we try to meet everyone’s expectations, and we are called to reach out to others, even those who we may see as “different”.
But I hadn’t learned this lesson at this point in my life.
Not knowing or understanding this, I missed out on showing grace. Not just to others, but also to myself. I missed so many opportunities to show the true love of God to others and myself, especially in a time in our lives when we are so young and vulnerable to the world around us.
God’s love is all about grace; so why is it that so many Christians struggle with it?
Struggle with showing grace to others who think differently....
Struggle with showing grace to those who experience brokenness....
Struggle with showing grace to ourselves OR admitting how much we need grace!
Jesus is the perfect example of how to show grace! Let’s look at a time when He showed immeasurable grace: Jesus and the woman at the well; John 4:1-42.
Jesus was sitting at a well when a Samaritan woman came to draw water. He asked her for a drink of water to which she responded in confusion.
Why?
She was a Samaritan. (The Jews despised the Samaritans because they intermarried between Jews and gentiles. This feeling was so strong that when Jews would travel between Judaea and Galilee, they would extend their trip and go around Samaria instead of through it.)
She was married 5 times and now living with a 6th man who wasn’t her husband.
She was an outcast. Women would go to the well together and early in the morning before the heat of the day arrived. She, however, shows up to the well alone and during the hottest part of the day.
But Jesus looks past all of these things and responds to the confusion in a way that radiates grace. He knows all about her past sins and the brokenness she feels, yet His only desire is to share the one thing that can change her life and make her whole. He wants to share the gift of living water; a gift given through the Holy Spirit that will bring eternal life.
“Jesus answered, ‘If you drink from Jacob’s well, you’ll be thirsty again, but if anyone drinks the living water I give them, they will never be thirsty again. For when you drink the water I give you, it becomes a gushing fountain of the Holy Spirit, flooding with endless life!”
John 4: 13-14.
He wasn’t referring to drinking water that would quench her thirst; He is sharing the gift of eternal life and a gift that would heal her brokenness and remove her shame. And even though she didn’t fully understand, she still reached for it. She wanted what He was offering because she knew it would change her life.
Jesus showed grace to someone, that by society’s standard, didn’t deserve it.
Why did He do this?
Because that’s what grace does! Grace is not given because of someone’s actions or what they have earned. It’s a beautiful gift from God because He wants us to fully experience His love and mercy. He looks past everything we have ever done and sees us for who are are in Him; who He has created us to be!
Grace is the free and unmerited favor of God.
When I looked up the different definitions of grace, the one I was looking for was labeled “Biblical definition.” My initial response was to ask why! Why does it need that label?
But then my question quickly turned to clarity. Why wouldn’t it come with that label? After all, the only way we can experience this life changing grace is through God himself! He deserves all of the recognition and glory.
This is exactly what the woman at the well experienced. The life changing grace of God. And you know what happened after she had this grace filled experience with Jesus?
She went and shared with everyone! She wasn’t ashamed to hide her mistakes; she was free from the shame she had held onto for so long because she knew her worth was found in the Living Water. And that worth could never be taken away.
Let’s jump back to the girl who inspired this post, Lexi. After I shared my response, I asked her to meditate on the topic of God’s grace and we set up a time for her to share what God had shown her.
In her time seeking Him on His grace, she became aware that she needs to be watching for times and opportunities to show grace to others. Along with that, being in tune with Holy Spirit and the best way to show grace.
Some situations call for her to respond with words while others require action!
When it comes to showing grace to others and yourself, the first step is to be aware of and obedient to Holy Spirit. He is our direct connection to God’s grace and what it looks like.
2 Corinthians 8:7 says:
Now as you excel in everything- in faith, speech, knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love for us- excel also in this act of grace!
Let’s reflect back, one more time, on the woman at the well and how her life changed because she was shown true grace. A grace she didn’t want to hide but instead inspired her to share the freedom she had experienced. She talked to anyone who would listen and in that, was able to lead so many others to Christ!
“All at once, the woman left her water jar and ran off to her village and told everyone, ‘Come and meet a man at the well who told me everything I’ve ever done! He could be the One we’ve been waiting for. Hearing this, the people came streaming out of the village to go see Jesus.” John 4:28-30
Imagine the lives that will be forever changed because they experienced the true grace of God!
And you know what?
YOU can be that vessel. You can share this life changing grace with those around you! You can also extend this same grace to yourself. My heart leaps with excitement and hope at the thought of our world flooding with God’s grace!
Remember, grace is not earned. It is freely given by our Father because He loves us and wants us to experience all of Him! And why wouldn’t we want to share that with anyone and everyone?!
Xoxo,
Sarah and Lexi
