In the Eyes of the Beholder (part 2)

Our hardships can be a thing of beauty, but without grace, what are they but struggles? When I hear the word grace, I often picture a ballerina. You know, someone with elegance. Someone who, unlike me, is coordinated; someone who doesn't trip going up stairs or miss their chair when they're sitting down. And those characteristics can certainly be a part of grace. But in order for grace to be a thing of beauty THROUGH us, which we'll cover later, we have to talk about what it looks like IN us.
Grace is a curious thing. The very definition of grace is something very pleasing; "elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action." The definition of grace is getting something you don't deserve (in a good way). The compliment of grace is mercy, not getting something you DO deserve.. Usually a punishment. Now, when I was younger and would get in trouble in the car on the way to or from a location, I remember sitting in the back, feeling so guilty. I knew what was coming. And it wouldn't be good. The only thing I could do was pray and hope that by the time we got home my mom forgot. When we got home and she said nothing about it, I was relieved, but still felt guilty. I was shown mercy.
But what's more is grace is getting something wonderful, despite wrongdoings. God showed Abraham AND Isaac grace when they went to Egypt (at different times, mind you) and lied about their wives. God blessed them, even though they caused trouble. God gives us grace, too. We sin, a lot, because we're human. That little lie you told your parents about who you'll be with and where you're going; that answer you got on a test that you got off your neighbor's paper; that failure to stand up for the kid who was getting bullied... We deserve to be punished. In fact, we deserve to DIE. But by God's grace. By God's favor toward us. He loved us SO much that he gave His ONLY son to die for us.
Now, I hope I haven't lost some of you. Especially you who might be saying "but I already know this story!" Just keep reading, I promise it will tie together in the end.
I don't know about you, but I'm pretty sure any parent would refuse to give up their child (even if there is one they say that they wouldn't mind handing over.) ;) But that just goes to show how lucky we are to have a Daddy who loved us so much that He would let His son die so we could live. Now that right there, that's grace. And when we acknowledge this grace, we acknowledge a thing of beauty. You remember how we were talking about a coordinated ballerina? Well, that's how I imagine grace. Even when a ballerina falls, she picks herself up with dignity and carries on. Even when we stumble, even when we sin, we can pick ourselves back up and know that God's given us grace. That it doesn't matter what we do- because we're forgiven.
I know that some of you are thinking, "This doesn't apply to me. I'm already a Christian..." So I ask you this: How many times do you acknowledge your sin? How many times do you acknowledge your salvation? Because I certainly know "Christians" (and sometimes even myself!) who go and do whatever without care. What if we started ACTING like we're saved, rather than just SAYING we're saved?
And what does that look like? Through loving one another (even our enemies and those people who are harder to love than others. And I know you know what I'm talking about; we've all got someone like that.) What about by showing grace and mercy to others? Or even just smiling at that person who might be having a rough day? My challenge for you is to find ways where you're living out your grace, rather than just keeping it for yourself.