Grace

I was a victim. I remember the first couple times my wife (then fiance) and I sat down to watch "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition". At first, I wasn't sure what to think. I began watching it out of 'obligation', but soon found myself checking it out. I won't forget the episode that changed my thinking...a woman and her 4 daughters lived on an island and their house burned down. They lived in a shed for many months. They had nothing and the shed was literally in shambles. It was disturbing and pitiful.

The team did their trademark work on the house, shipping all necessary components of the house by boat and air. The show went to great lengths to meet the families' needs right where they were. I was captivated. That's when it hit me.

Grace. They didn't deserve the house, they didn't work for it and they certainly couldn't pay for it. It was just given to them, free and clear. All that was necessary was for them to occupy the house. Amazing. They applied for the show and were still completely amazed.

The truth is, I've seen God's grace at work in my own life in so many ways. It's so humbling to consider that God extends such a grace to us so often. It's not necessarily something free, it's that God either intervenes or offers opportunities...that we don't deserve, cannot earn and could never "pay for".

So, I'm no longer a victim but a willing participant. Although Ty screaming into a bullhorn seems a bit cliche and overproduced, I'm always down with the idea of extending grace.