Offer Grace - Spread Joy

November 9-10

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 

and do not give the devil an opportunity.

Ephesians 4:26-27

"Offer grace" makes me think of the movie Christmas Vacation) where the 80 year old aunt is asked to say grace before dinner, " She replies, "Grace! She passed away 30 years ago."
Have you served grace to anyone lately?  How often do we dish it out?  We certainly like to receive it!

My stomach is churning right now over the arrogant times I've thought about "what I deserved" in various service oriented businesses.  Oh, how Jesus must have been shaking his head. I'm not saying we should allow people to cheat us or treat us rudely, but that we examine our hearts in our responses and put ourselves in the other person's shoes.

Last month we ordered a pizza for our grandchildren. My husband went to pick it up and came home and they had given him the wrong pizza!  We were all hungry and it was disappointing, but not life threatening.  The pizza we had ordered had already gone out the door with another "disappointed" customer, who was about to find only cheese on his pepperoni pizza.  The restaurant told us to keep the one we had and we could come back for the plain cheese at not charge. Some people may have had their feathers so ruffled that they might demand the pizza be delivered (we don't have that luxury in our neck of the woods) and that they also be reimbursed for their gas money or maybe even try to get free pizza for life! I believe with all my heart there are people who set out to find an issue at a restaurant, with the plan of getting a free meal.

Have you ever worked retail and not had the size or item someone wanted?  I've felt like they expected me to go in the back, get on a sewing machine and make them that dress in just their size!  

We are created in God's image. Created to do good works, which he has planned in advance for us to do.   Offering grace is a mighty good work.  It's really enjoyable.  We should know, because we've received it time and again from God.