This morning something almost hurt my feelings. Then I stopped myself and recognized that it very well could just be my perception or a misunderstanding. I know how it looks, but I cannot know for certain. The point is there is an unknown.

That started me on a path of reflection.

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭12‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

We cannot control how we are received. How our care and concern is received. How our love is received. And the point is not how it is received, but that we gave at all. We are commanded to love our neighbor, not to make them receive it in a certain way, correctly, or even at all. 

“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
‭‭Matthew‬ ‭22‬:‭37‬-‭39‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Yes, we should be mindful of how we are acting, but sometimes even when we act from pure and godly intentions, it still may not be received as hoped or intended. 

I started contemplating how we can (I can) let ourselves have an expectation of how we are received and also how we can let our own perception, based on very little evidence, cause us to react in a negative way. 

Then that led me to think about Grace and how we should lead with Grace and how by leading with Grace, we are acting from a place of love that would align with the commandment to love our neighbor as ourselves. 

When we lead from a place of hurt based on things that we don’t know or from our own (likely) false perceptions, we are skipping grace and going right into judgement and condemnation. 

When we lead from grace, setting aside the unknown, our own perceptions, then we lead with love. 

“And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Father God, 

You are the highest and are the true example of love that you gave your only son as a sacrifice for our sins to allow us to be in relationship with you. 

Sometimes I start to lean on my own understanding and forget to act in love. Sometimes I let my own feelings and perceptions lead instead and thereby withhold grace from others. 

Thank you for your patience and correction. Thank you for showing us what love truly means and how we should be toward our brothers and sisters. 

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”
‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13‬:‭4‬-‭7‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Father, help me to remember to lead with grace and love and remember how you have done the same for me when I did not deserve it.

I love you, Father, and your ways!

In the name of Jesus, Amen