Since the
beginning of the year I have been doing a series on the word “blessed.” I lost a bit of momentum for a while due to
travel and a busy schedule, and then a global pandemic hit out of nowhere. I have struggled with anxiety, fear, lack of
motivation, and most notably, an inability to focus. Writing takes immense effort right now, but I
do have something that I would like to share.
In the weeks
leading up to the crisis, our church has been studying the book of
Ephesians. In Ephesians 3:1-2 it says, “For
this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles –
if indeed you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace which was
given to me for you...” (emphasis mine).
That phrase caught my eye and has been rattling around in my head ever
since. I wasn’t quite sure what to do
with it…until now. It is quite strange
and a bit unsettling to find ourselves in the midst of a national crisis where
a call to unity requires us to stay away from each other. While we have witnessed selfish behavior in some,
we have also seen people come together and ask what they can do to help.
As
believers, we often hear people say that they want to be good stewards of what
God has given them. They want to take
care of what God has blessed them with (home, finances, gifts, talents, etc)
and use them to bless others and further His kingdom. During these unprecedented times, let us not
forget to be good stewards of the most precious gift of all…His grace. “For by grace you have been saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.” (Eph. 2:8) Paul says that the stewardship of God’s grace
was given to him for others. Ephesians
5:1-2 says, “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children, and walk in
love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering
and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma.”
We have a unique
opportunity right now to be salt and light in our communities. If we truly understand the magnitude of God’s
grace toward us, let us extend that same grace to those around us and be a good
example and a fragrant aroma. How do we
do that when we are housebound? Creativity
is the key. We are blessed to live in a
highly technological age. Examples I
have seen so far include musicians doing free online concerts, people sharing
exercise routines, people sharing ideas and resources to help with home
education or keeping little ones occupied, physicians explaining what’s going
on in simple terms that we can understand, and people cooking meals in step by
step tutorials to help those who might not be as proficient in the kitchen. For those who are not online as much, I have
seen women sewing masks/mask covers by the dozen, cards being written and
mailed, sharing of supplies, and people shopping for those most at risk. Extending grace can be as simple as just
having a good attitude and a ready smile and wave when you encounter people on
a walk around your neighborhood or saying thank you to those serving you through
essential services.
When you
wake up in the morning, ask yourself, “How can I be a good steward of God’s
grace today?” and then walk in that. It is possible to love your neighbor from afar. There may be shortages in the supply chain
right now, but the supply of God’s grace is vast and infinite. Being a good steward of God’s grace is
guaranteed to bless Him, bless your neighbor, and bless you.
