December 14 Advent Devotion Written by Rebecca Wallace

Trisha Huffman | December 14, 2015

Proactive Grace

I have been quoted! Nope, not the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, or even the Lexington Herald-Leader. In fact, you have to come to my office to see where I’ve been quoted, because it’s pinned to the bulletin board above my desk.

Several years ago I had an epiphany – I am certain it came to me after some sort of committee meeting (or maybe a succession of committee meetings related both to work and church). Anyway, I spouted off to a co-worker, “The world is run by humans. And where there are humans, there are two guarantees: there will be conflict and there will be errors.” I guess she thought that was profound (although I seriously doubt I am the first person to think or say something like that out loud) but she typed it up, printed it out and handed it to me. Six years later, it’s still on my bulletin board.

Recently someone visiting my office asked me why I had such a negative statement in a location where I could read it every day. That was strange; I didn’t think it was negative. At first it does sound a little cynical, but really, it’s quite the opposite.

Here’s how I view it. That statement is true; humans have a tendency to disagree, be strong-willed about their opinions, dislike others based on their own personal standings, and have general conflict—some small, some large. And I don’t think I need to really go into the errors part of it—let’s face it, we all make mistakes. By the way, we’re only human.

But this statement is one that I use to remind myself that yes, we are all human. Conflict is going to happen, mistakes are going to happen. But, if I take the approach of Proactive Grace (I’m thinking of copyrighting that term), then conflicts and errors will not be insurmountable issues, rather opportunities to extend grace, move around or overcome the issue, and carry on that much wiser.

If I go around expecting to never have conflict, expecting everything to run smoothly, expecting everyone to do what they’re supposed to do, then I am going to continually be obstructed by surprise disappointment. Now don’t get me wrong; I haven’t lowered my standards for the human race, it’s not an Eeyore approach of “Why bother, it’s just going to fall off anyway.” I’m simply recognizing that things happen and, if we are prepared beforehand to offer grace, then we’ll carry on that much better.

So, I am going to try to take the approach of proactive grace in as many parts of my life as I can; and I hope that you, in return, will share a little proactive grace with me as well, because God knows, I need it!

Prayer: God, please allow us to create a spirit of proactive grace for everyone we know and everyone we meet, recognizing that it was by grace that we are saved by you and by grace we must all live together. Amen.