GRACE HAS A FACE (October 27, 2023)

<p>I bless them all—the friends who didn’t back away when I said clumsy, foolish things, or added insult to an injury. I bless the ones who held me in the grip of grace before I had an inkling they were doing anything at all.</p> <p>I call to mind the line of kind, consistent people who forgave before I knew how much I had offended, who didn’t hold my sins against me, or wait to even up the score. I thank the Lord who taught them grace so that when my life was stirred by grace, I had a living, breathing demonstration standing right beside me.</p> <p>Grace has a face—or faces, actually—one, two or ten who make the gospel come to life by holding, healing, loving, serving. They are my church, my backstop, my community.</p> <p>Because of them, I dare to do some gracious act that covers sin or heals pain. They’ve made a choice, and so have I.</p> <p>We stay in grace. -Bill Knott</p>