Got Grace?

"That's it, Job! It's your arrogance!" Eliphaz backs away and stares at him with that glare, saying, again, "You are getting exactly what you deserve!"

The style of communication Eliphaz employs is not that unusual to those who lack grace. It may not always be this brutal, but haven't you noticed this tone when you're around people who evidence no grace?

When you're down, they kick you.

When you're drowning, they pull you under.

When you're confused, they complicate your life.

And when you're almost finished, they write you off.

Other than that, they're pretty good folks.

~ Swindoll

One thing that I have learned in this walk with Christ, is that the two best places to learn how to love your enemy is in your family and in your church. It also is the two best places to learn how to give and receive grace. 

You see I have met Eliphaz.

I have even looked at Eliphaz in the mirror staring back at me with stubborn defiance.

I have learned that the hardest time to give grace comes when it is to be appropriated to someone I know should know better... to someone I have helped over and over... to someone I have loved hard and long.

If we remember the context, this Eliphaz was Job's friend. He was close enough to him that he felt he needed to be there for him physically. He was the friend who was close enough to show up. Yet, his words brought Job no comfort... because they came without grace.

Yes I know Eliphaz. I have met him. I have been him.

I remember when I first became wholly surrendered I began studying the Word like crazy and I still study it like crazy... would love nothing more than to just sit and study the Word and write about the Word and teach the Word from daylight to dark but for some reason the people in this house want to spend time with me and eat food and wear clean clothes and stuff like that.

(I mean really the nerve of some people, lol).

So as I grew in my knowledge, I grew in my arrogance. When I would hear of someone in a hurt or struggle I would think "well, if they would just do what God says right here then they would not be in that mess" 

I truly believe the only thing that kept me from saying some of the things I thought was because in all honesty I truly believed that I went through my sins and the struggles of my youth simply because I was ignorant of God's Word, so I had little grace for those who were supposed to "know better".

Mercy was not my gift... yet God would teach me.

You see I had mercy and grace galore for those who did not know better, but those that I thought should know better... well, go on and suffer the consequences of disobedience.

You see, I would look at them and think how I thought I would have made such different choices had I been where they were, knowing what I know now, then.

And what I have learned is that really it boiled down that my heart hurt that they would choose not to do what I so wished I could have and would have done... 

I am grateful that God has chosen to teach me grace through His word as well as through personal life experiences... I love learning to see life through His eyes and not my own... my eyesight has never been that good to begin with.

So Eliphaz is out there...

He might even be staring at you in the mirror...

He may only show up at certain times and with certain situations or people...

But here's the thing... 

This Eliphaz who shows no grace, speaks no grace, needs grace.

Yep that's right, he needs the grace that he doesn't yet know how to give. 

So not only is God teaching me to give grace to those who are struggling and hurting whether it be just life or consequences of sin or bad decisions, He is also teaching me to give grace to those who have none of their own. Because as my Pastor said once they just need more knowledge of God. And not just knowledge in knowledge, but knowledge of God and His Christ...

Grace and peace be multiplied to you

in the knowledge of God

and of Jesus our Lord;

2 Peter 1:2

I'm left with one thought: "Lord, if you are teaching us anything through Job's endurance, teach us the value of grace. Teach us about demonstrating grace. Show us again that grace is always appropriate. Always needed.

The person sitting near you in church next Sunday, the lady pushing that cart in the grocery store, the one who's putting gas in his car at the next pump, the man behind you at the movies, waiting to buy his ticket, the student across from you at school. You have no idea what that person is going through. If you did, chances are you'd be prompted to show grace or to say a few encouraging words even quicker. Remember this please: grace is always appropriate, always needed!

"Amazing grace---how sweet the sound!"

~ Swindoll

So precious one... Got Grace?
Have you got it to give?
Are you willing to give it to those that ain't got it and don't give it?

but grow in the grace and knowledge
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

To Him be the glory,
both now and to the day of eternity.
Amen.

2 Peter 3:18