GRACE-GIVING PEOPLE

"One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at Him: 'Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!'  But the other criminal rebuked him. 'Don’t you fear God,' he said, 'since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.'  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom. '  Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.'"  (Luke 23:39-43 NIV)

Jesus' response to this career criminal is absolutely fascinating to me.  Without an ounce of deliberation, He gave grace to the guy.  "Today you will be with Me in My Kingdom," He told the repentant.

Friends, that is the model.  The same propensity to give grace in all situations ought to be true of your life and of mine.  If we share the dream to become radically loving, outwardly focused, grace-giving people, then we ought to be the first ones to expand our hearts and invite folks to come into the kingdom.

-- Bill Hybels in “Just Walk Across the Room”

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