Let Grace Rule

Most of us would like to be described as gracious - characterized as kind and warmly courteous. How about when someone cuts you off in traffic or breaks into the check-out line or returns your smile with a frown? Hmm. In his book, My Heart Cries Out, Paul David Tripp describes "spiritual schizophrenia" as something that "lurks inside" of Believers. Instead of a genuine embrace of the ever enthralling principle of God's Grace toward us (Ephesians 2:8 - for by God's remarkable compassion and favor [Grace] we are delivered [Saved] from judgment), we double-down and refuse the same compassion and favor (grace) to others. Tripp writes, "It is a massive contradiction that I look condemningly at others while I constantly appeal to You (God) for grace." Perhaps one of Satan's most notorious weapons is making us forget the eternal settlement of our sin-debt; this is, God's wrath against our rebellion completely satisfied through The Sacrifice of His Son, Jesus. By and through Him, we are commanded to be instruments of His Compassion (Grace) to others. God's command to "be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you" begins with hearts that are divinely-supernaturally kind, tender and forgiving. That's when our grace toward others, isn't mandated by a set of rules - no, grace IS the rule! Yes, grace is the rule so ... let Grace rule.