“Even if you’re ever convicted of a crime, I’ll still be your friend.”  That was the statement a new friend of mine made to me years ago and it forever changed me.  Every wall or apprehension I had dissolved in almost an instant.  I felt safe in that friendship.  But, more importantly, it was right then that I decided that I wanted all of my other friends to feel that same sense of relief and safety with me.

Grace from friends makes life easier.  Grace from God makes life eternal.

Grace.  It’s such a powerful thing in relationships.  Grace from a friend acknowledges the ubiquity of human imperfection.  Grace allows a friend to be themselves, to shed the burden of covering their imperfections, to extinguish the fear of loss over mistaken action.  Grace allows do-overs.  Grace says “I’m no more perfect than you are”.  Grace overlooks the little things and forgives quickly the big.  Grace gives forgiveness before it is requested.

I will never punish you for your mistakes.

I can only say that I am imperfect when it comes to giving grace, but that grace is a powerful gift to give to your relationships and reflects mightily the character of God.

Bill

Tags: friends, God, grace, people

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