Your actions have shown me that you cannot be trusted. You’re selfish. You don’t do what I want you to do. You lie and you break promises. You talk out of both sides of your face and you treat me like I’m invisible unless you want someting.

What did I ever see in you? No one would blame me for walking away from you. I wish I could just wash my hands and say, “I am so done with you! I won’t let you hurt me anymore.”

You don’t deserve me. You should pay.

Jesus could write those words to me. But He is GRACE and forgiveness. Instead of giving me what I’ve earned, He gives me everything.

And then He tells me to forgive like Him. He tells me to walk two miles when someone tells me to walk one. He tells me to love people who don’t deserve it because it’s easy to love people I enjoy. You’ld think I’d be good at that because of the GRACE He has shown me.

My wife has taught me so much about God’s love over these past 25 years. When I’ve put ministry ahead of her she has showed patience and treated me well. When my actions deserved harshness, she was gentle. When she could have put distance between us she showed determination as we worked through tough times. I’ve benefitted so much more than I deserve.

I think doing what Jesus would do is pretty easy in a lot of life. When it is toughest for me is when doing what He would do means treating someone with GRACE and forgiveness when they’ve been a jerk.

“Luke 6:49 But if you just use my words in Bible studies and don’t work them into your life, you are like a dumb carpenter who built a house but skipped the foundation. When the swollen river came crashing in, it collapsed like a house of cards. It was a total loss.” (The Message)

Working Jesus’ words into my life is my goal. The word of the day is “grace.”