I was sitting in Starbucks today, just people watching… a norm of mine, and I was paying attention to different "things" that everyone was doing. All I could think was… people are so unique. Every one of our minds is thinking about a certain thing… and most likely they are all different things. How will I make it to work on time? What if I don't pass my final? Do I have anything better to be doing? Why am I here? All these questions, and thoughts running through our brains and our hearts. I love the people who sit by themselves and are in probably the worst mood and then you smile at them, and they look at you like you might have six heads and may have just come from a strange alien planet. I get that a lot. To most people, it would probably tick them off, and they'd snap and say something like, "Wow, I was just trying to be nice, what a jerk." That was totally, one hundred percent me, but now I've learned and been called to look at it a little differently and just laugh. After I get that strange look, I can't help but think, what on earth is on their mind? What's happening in their heart? And I love it, because I know that it challenges me and makes me step outside my comfort zone and think about their heart, instead of me. Instead of quickly putting all of the attention back on me, suddenly I have the opportunity to step into their shoes and see their heart.
It gives us a first hand chance to give the gift of grace. It gives us the chance to shut our mouths, park our egos, and give. We're so wrapped up in ourselves, and we forget that there are other people that are going through things in their lives too. I heard it the best way when I was in high school and we had a man come and speak to our Mentor Group. He said, "You never know what is in someone's backpack." We all are carrying backpacks… full of so many different things. Anger. Depression. Hurt. Heartbreak. Bullying. Abuse. We don't have the ability of knowing ahead of time what's in someones backpack. It's the same as the old saying that we all know, "Put yourself in someone else's shoes." We don't do it though, because we're too worried about our own shoes. I love a specific lyric in the song Forgiveness, by Matthew West… it says, "Even when the jury and judge say you gotta right to hold a grudge, it's the whisper in your ear saying, set it free." That's grace. Giving a gift that is undeserved.
Jesus Christ is the ultimate image of grace. "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith- and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-" Ephesians 2:8 We don't and never will DESERVE to be saved… it is a gift. It's grace. Give to others, as He has given to us. If he has grace on our messed up, disobedient, heartbreaking lives towards Him, we should be more than willing and desire to give grace to others around us for the most minuscule and ridiculously little things (or the huge) that others do to us.
We all have a role in each others lives, whether we know it or not. I read a daily quote now, and today's quote by Nathaniel Hawthorne said, "Every individual has a place to fill in the world, and is important, in some respect, whether he chooses to be so or not." We never know what kind of role that we can play in someone else's life. Just when you think there's no way you could do any good for someone, you may be doing the most. And just the opposite, when you think there is no way you can learn something or get something from someone, you may be receiving the most. Our unique creator uses us in very mysterious ways, and when we look back and observe how He played something out, sometimes all we can say is wow.
I challenge you to this… next time someone cuts you off on the road, says something rude to you, doesn't hold a door for you, or just does something that really rubs you the wrong way… stop, park your ego, step into their shoes, or put on their backpack and have grace.
God, thank you so much for having unfathomable grace towards us. Let us and show us how to have grace towards others. In Your Sons Precious Name, Amen.
xo, Carly
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