‘Grace walked in the front door and selfishness scampered out the back.” ~ From Grace by Max Lucado
I always hope that when I am shown grace that I in turn do the same for others. I wonder how many times people let us off the hook and then we continue to keep people on our hook. I would hope that we are like this quote above and when grace walks in our selfish heart walks out but as seen in stories of old that is not always the case.
I was always confounded by the story in the bible about the thankless servant who was forgiven his debt by his master. The man was quite a humble spirit as he pleaded with his master to have mercy on him and let him be forgiven of his rather large debt because try as he might he could not get it paid. You know how it is the more behind you are the behinder you get!!! The king was apt to convince the servant to sell all his possessions so that the servant could pay what was due him. According to the bible the king after much adieu from the pitiful servant finally had mercy on him. The gracious king forgave him all of his debt!!! He walked out a free man!!! Not because he paid his way but rather because the kind king had a heart filled with grace.
So you would think a man that has been granted grace would then be a grace grantor in full measure!! Think again, quickly the servant forgot the gift he was given and ran straight out the door looking for those that owed him. I love what Max Lucado said,”The just-blessed will become the- quick to- bless, right?” Seriously you would think so but the ungrateful servant does not let the screen door hit his back side before he is demanding a very small debt be paid to him. He, unlike the kind king, demands his money despite the pleas from his debtor.
Sounds so awful. How in the world? I wonder how many times we do the same? Do we remember the slights of others and gloss over our own. Are we forgiven and then forget to forgive? At the moment we are so happy and grateful and then our memory fades. I pray that I will always remember all the sweet things others do for me and that my memory fails me when I try to bring up the wrongs done to me. I like to stay on the grateful side of the fence as it seems life is sunnier and more open and free.
I pray I never become unchanged by grace. I hope grace continues like the waves of the ocean to wash over me and like the waves I let them go back to the sea and wash over others as well.