Grace on a Thursday: in Jessica's words

You may already know my guest today for Grace on a Thursday, Jessica Johnson. I keep trying to come up with a clever introduction for her, but the same thing keeps running through my head over and over. So maybe I should just type it: I wanna be her when I grow up.

Jess displays a heart and life centered around Jesus. She is knowledgeable as well as wise. Kind as well as funny. Passionate about her faith, and has some awesome words today on grace. Thank you so much, Jess, for sharing some of that passion with us today.

{Please show her some love, friends. Also, you will not be bummed if you follow her here. Actually, you might be, after seeing the photos from their recent trip to Maui and realizing you were not also in Maui. But besides that, not bummed. At all.}

Happy Thursday!

I'm Jess.

I normally blog here.

I'm excited for the chance to share with you today.

Thank you, Leslie, for keeping such a rich, Godly and encouraging place.

 

So. Hi. Let's talk.

I hope you'll see this as a conversation.

And not me preaching at you.

I'm actually preaching more to myself.

You'll see.

Hopefully.

 

When I write about something, I like to look up the definition before I start.

Call it nerdy. A desire to be informed.

Whatever. I've just always done it.

Big words.

HARD words.

Good words.

 

Before I had children, I worked in commercial property real estate.

The company I worked for would host seminars from time to time.

Flashy experts in expensive suits would come in with fancy graphs.

And they would confidently impart their knowledge.

Why?

My company didn't hire an electrician to speak on capital gains.

They hired a capital gains expert.

They knew we would receive the most benefit by hearing from an expert.

 

The same applies with biblical grace.

We receive the most benefit by hearing from The Expert.

It's difficult to extend grace to others without an accurate understanding of it ourselves.

Some of us have a warped view.

Grace was not extended to us as children.

Or as adults.

It was explained inaccurately.

Or had strings attached.

But, good news, friends.

The best news.

Reading and understanding of God's Word through His Holy Spirit gives us all we need.

It trumps any disfunction or delusion or misconception we have about grace.

It is greater than our flawed upbringing.

Or current flawed living.

Or past mistakes.

God's Word reveals truth.

It's where we find grace.

It's where we're shown the greatest example of grace.

It's where we grow in our knowledge of grace.

It's how we are equipped to show grace to others.

How do we do church?

We do it graciously.

How do we do friendships?

We do them graciously.

How do we do marriage and parenting?

Graciously.

How do we show an unbelieving world Christ?

We show them grace.

Therefore, it is imperative, believers, that we know grace.

And that we know it well.

I preach this to my soul. Lots.

Because I am terrible at it.

A repeat, messy failure.

My heart is quick to become bitter.

Resentful.

Envious.

Jealous.

To think the worst about others.

It's ugly.

So quickly and easily, I forget all that the Lord did on my behalf.

It's my desire that I'd be an expert on grace and forgiveness.

And clueless about the rest.

That I would fill my heart and mind with God's Word.

And God's truth.

So that, through His power, a gracious reaction is my first reaction.

Let me know favor.

And forgiveness.

And leniency.

And good will.

And mercy.

And give me the grace to show it.