From Aaron Burdin, Youth Pastor: Hillside Missionary Church

GRACE

When we hear the word Grace, what comes to mind? For some, the hymn Amazing Grace is the first thing people think about. For others, the word grace seems so far and distant. We live in a world where grace is often forgotten and most will move ahead in the line of success at the expense of another's failure. 

Grace is such a complicated subject. What happens if a person is given too much grace? Won’t they just abuse it time and again? Is it really our right to judge whether we should reserve our grace for someone more worthy of it? 

The funny thing is, when you look at Jesus’ life he would always show scandalous grace to those around him and he is the Son of God. The religious leaders probably thought Jesus was just enabling the sin around him because he was able to forgive what others would not. We can even look at the final moments before Christ’s death when he told the thief next to him that he would be with him in paradise. Reading this passage some may say, "Why does this guy get grace when he is getting what he deserved?" 

The truth is God’s grace is amazing. He is a God of love and in his love he has the great ability to forgive those open to him. Life is not about what we do, but who we are. None of us deserve God’s grace and yet he gives it. The sooner we can understand this grace, the sooner we will be able to live a life following Jesus. If we understand grace, how can we any longer look at those who are homeless, addicts, sexual abusers, criminals and those considered nothing in society and think we are any better. 

It is by his grace that we have hope and it is through his grace that we can give grace to those around us in a broken world.