I don't always realize the impact people have on me until I take a step back and reflect. I've come to realize that everyone I have had some kind of relationship with has impacted me, changed me. They may not know it, but it is most certainly true. Every moment with them mattered. Every moment meant something whether I realized it at the time or not. God has used the people in my life to grow me in ways I never thought possible. It just makes me remember that God sees the bigger picture while I only see a small portion of it. These people, my people, have impacted my life.
So, this all makes me think: If I have been impacted this much because of the people I have developed relationships with over the course of my life, how is it that I am impacting people? Above I said that every moment matters. Every moment means something. I don't believe that anything is insignificant. Something may seem small or insignificant to us, but it could mean the world to someone else.
Every moment matters.
If every moment matters then the way we treat people matters.
The way we live our life matters.
Every moment matters.
This blog is about grace, right? Grace has been on my mind a lot lately. I have always been taught that grace is a gift from God. And it most certainly is a gift. However, we do not deserve this gift. God chooses to give us grace in our lives because He loves us. He desires to have a relationship with us and one way I believe He shows that is by giving us grace. What blows my mind is that grace is not a one time gift. It's a gift that keeps on giving. God doesn't hold out on us. He is a good and loving Father.
I have some more wonderings. (I don't know if 'wonderings' is a word. It is now.)
If God continues to give us grace even after we mess up time and time again and we are to live like Christ, then how come we don't give that same grace to those around us? Nobody is perfect. I'm going to say that again:
Nobody is perfect.
If we are not perfect yet God still chooses to show us grace then why don't we show that grace to others?
My mind has been blown a lot tonight, but do you want to know what will blow other people's minds? Showing them grace. Especially when it's not deserved. They won't know what hit them. They won't understand why you gave them grace. I guarantee they will notice that something is different about you.
As the new year has begun I have decided that I want 2014 to be the year of grace. I want 2014 to be the year of love. Sharing the grace and love of Christ will blow.people's.minds.
I've been shown a great amount of grace in my life by God and by the people God has placed in my life. I want that grace to continue on to others. I want to be able to show that grace, to give that gift.
Every moment matters. Let's remember that as we encounter people this year.
It won't only impact them.
It'll impact you.
