My wife Betty, who is the very queen of grace, relayed another of the many stories of God’s manifest kindness in her life the other day. How wonderful to see things work out “on earth as it is in heaven”!
She was at the discount store, and was buying something for a friend. Apparently, she didn’t have the tax. The store-owner said, no problem, and to go ahead. My wife Betty was grateful and gracious as always, and went on to do a few more errands.
She went down a ways to the drug store to pay a bill and as she was inside paying, just ahead of her was a boy trying to buy something. He was also short a few pennies. Betty saw his plight, and offered to pay the balance. He looked completely shocked, and after the purchase was made, went away on cloud 9!
As she explained to the clerk how she had just been similarly blessed that morning, the clerk said, you know that kid’s mother is the owner of the discount store you went to, right? Then Betty could see that the acts of small kindness going around were actually the hand of God manifest in tiny ways.
You know how I got so enamored of grace? A huge part of it has been watching my wife live. I am so extremely blessed; living with her makes it easy to believe in grace. She expects God to manifest some kindness at every turn, and she loves being an instrument of grace to others. She has always been the craziest happiest person I’ve ever known. And she always makes sure to recognize the little reminders that God’s kingdom really is at hand, and is quick to give thanks. This is, I think, the true life of grace, manifest in tiny little kindnesses, and celebrated daily. God actually loves us and is showing forth His love in the smallest details of our lives.
“And whoever in the name of a disciple gives to one of these little ones even a cup of cold water to drink, truly I say to you he shall not lose his reward.”
(Matthew 10:42, NASB).give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
(1 Thessalonians 5:18, NIV).