It doesn't have to be something so out of the ordinary. It doesn't have to be something so grandiose, or something rehearsed, or something out of this world extraordinary.

I don't know about ya'll, but for me the moments that have meant the most in my life have been those when one of my friends looked at me straight in the eye and told me what they felt about me...even when it was something hard to hear.

One of my housemates was having a rough night last night. She's real stressed out for finals. This is a girl that I know who works harder, studies harder, follows the Lord harder than most people I know. She is an amazing girlfriend, a great friend, and an amazing example for those who see her. She is someone I admire very much.

So we get to talking, and she said that she's made this promise to God not do something in order that He would help her her. Right there I had the opportunity to share what God has been teaching me!! I told her, "You don't have to do something so that the Lord will help you. He loves you no matter what you do. The 'help' He gives you doesn't depend on what you do or what you don't do. I'm not saying that the decision you made to the Lord is a bad one, or one that you shouldn't have made. But you make that decision because you LOVE Him, not because you want something out of Him!"

I thought about the story of the Prodigal Son. The father in the story didn't say to his son after he asked for his inheritance, "Ok, son. I'll give you all this money if you promise me you'll only use it for good...behave yourself, eh?" No. The son asked and it was given to him - because he was his son. Off he went and spent it on sex, drugs, gambling, and alcohol until it was alllll gone. Then he came running home to his father. That was the last place he turned to. Expecting his father to be angry, he proposed to his father he be a servant instead of a son. But, his dad ran to him and quickly welcomed him back into his house. All that time he was missing the son - not thinking about how awful his son was.

God is like that with us, no? Or we should be like that with God. He doesn't give us the gift of eternal life because we promise to do the right things yada yada. No, He gives it to us freely and we should know that using that gift of life should be used in pleasing the One who gave it to us. In the end, that brings us much more happiness, much more strength and security. To use it for ourselves is just a waste.

However, if we get to that point, we should remember we can run home at any time to open arms that love us. He is always with us. He will always love us.

You have the grace of God. Period. There's nothing you can do to gain it. Grace is a gift. What is grace? To understand His love and who He is - that is grace. To catch a glimpse of how big He is - that is grace. To know and trust and love Him for who He is, not who we want Him to be - that is grace.
Grace is given to us by God and by God alone.


Think about it. The pharisees did all the right things. They followed the law down to every detail, but they did not recognize the Son of God when He was right there in front of them. Grace is a gift. Not a product to be bought or a gold star to be given because you are good. It's a gift and it's offered to everyone who will except eternal life through our Lord Jesus Christ.


Anyway, back to my original point. It never has to be something incredible...or over the top in order for God to use you to help someone else. You just have to be open with what God is teaching you...and remember that you are God's child not because of what you do...but because of who you ARE.

I didn't even sit there and explain all that wrote above...I simply told her that God loves her no matter what...and that I love her too.


The smile and teary eyes let me know that it helped to hear it.

Tell somebody how you feel about them. You never know the difference it can make.