The Grace of Flexibility

Yes, this is a grace - when someone “gives you a break” - allows you to be thoroughly human. I have been the grateful recipient of my husband’s “wiggle room” (as he calls it) many, many times.

In fact, I have experienced so much of this sort of grace that I decided to pay tribute . . .

• To my parents, on too many occasions to count, but to name just one: when I came home with my hair dyed very blond just a few days before high school graduation. They thought “it could be worse!” I wasn’t so sure.

• To my piano teachers through the years, who knew I could have done better if I had just practiced! And probably were dying to hear another song, but suffered through my stumbling version of _________ one more time.

• To my siblings, who have dealt with my quirky ability to be completely idealistic about most everything - they’ve been so gracious.

• To my husband, who has been patient as I’ve slowly learned about living with another human being, and has been so kind as I’ve slowly learned (and continue to learn) how to keep our home.

• To my in-law family, who has always treated me as one of their own.

• To a college teacher, who generously offered Darrell and I the opportunity to grade papers in order to recover our grade after way-too-many-absences in a particular 7 o’clock class after we were married. :>)

• To my children, who are always just moments away from a big hug and kiss for me, no matter the occasion and no matter how I fail them as a mother.

• To so many friends, who have not held against me my ability to stay out of touch for long periods of time - they act like they still love me! It’s a miracle!

• To our church family who has been so kind to me, with all my inexperience and bumbling efforts to learn this role - pastor's wife. God has knit our hearts together through this process.
  

• And most of all, to God, who has given me grace upon grace when I could never have deserved it.
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As I continue to "grow up" I am blessed with many opportunities to learn more about how to offer this grace to others - and I do appreciate that! God has helped me to learn a little bit about walking a mile in someone else’s shoes.

A few scriptures to consider . . .

. . . and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; 1 Cor. 9:20

At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath, and His disciples became hungry and began to pick the heads of grain and eat. But when the Pharisees saw this, they said to Him, "Look, your disciples do what is not lawful to do on a Sabbath." But He said to them, "Have you not read what David did when he became hungry, he and his companions, how he entered the house of God, and they ate the consecrated bread, which was not lawful for him to eat nor for those with him, but for the priests alone? Or have you not read in the Law, that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple break the Sabbath and are innocent? But I say to you that something greater than the temple is here. But if you had known what this means, 'I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT A SACRIFICE,' you would not have condemned the innocent.” Matt 12:1-7

Judge not, and you shall not be judged. Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Luke 6:37

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8

Common places to learn about grace:

• When you are asked to work closely with someone who you know doesn’t understand you or share your values.
• When things don’t happen like you planned.
• When someone disappoints you.
• When someone shares a personal failure with you.
• When you’re in the position of “student” or “teacher.”
• When you’re in any relationship, with anyone! Does that cover it all or what?!

God, please help me to be a reflection of the gracious God that you are. I pray that you will show me how to take the circumstances of life and see them as an opportunity for Your grace to abound through my attitude toward others. Thank you for your unparalleled kindness to me. So that God may be glorified, make this grace very real in my life. Amen.

By the way, there is also something that might be called . . . The Everyday Grace of Flexibility

This is the casual version . . . like being flexible with waiters and waitresses, or with the “idiot” who’s driving while texting, or with your children when they inconvenience you, or with your spouse when they make you late, etc. It takes God’s grace actively renewing our minds to be able to respond like He would. God help me!