Amazing Grace
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
— Romans 5:8 (ESV)
Grace. For me, it’s more than just my daughter’s middle name. Grace is one of the most profound gifts God gives to His people.
Grace is knowing the right answer, but choosing not to humiliate someone who got it wrong. Grace is when a co-worker botches the paperwork, and instead of scolding them harshly, you offer gentle correction. Grace is when someone wrongs you, and instead of holding it over their head, you forgive.
We live in a world obsessed with accountability. Everyone wants to “call out” mistakes, expose failures, and demand consequences. But grace does not cancel accountability — it reframes it. Grace says: Yes, you made a mistake. Yes, there are consequences. But I will not shame you. I will not condemn you. I will walk with you toward restoration.
That is the nature of Christ. If we correct with embarrassment or with harsh words, we are not reflecting Him — we are reflecting the opposite. Jesus shows us unending grace. God’s grace is so vast that no matter how far we’ve wandered, no matter how wretched our choices, His mercy covers us through Christ.
John Newton, the writer of the hymn Amazing Grace (1772), knew this firsthand. Once a slave trader, lost in wickedness, he encountered the grace of God and was radically transformed. His famous line says: “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.”
What is a wretch? A miserable, despicable person, hopeless in sin. That’s who Newton confessed he was — and who we are without Christ. “None is righteous, no, not one.” (Romans 3:10). Left to ourselves, we chase after money, power, lust, and fleshly desires. We are lost, blind, and wandering in darkness. But grace stepped in.
God’s amazing grace found us in the wasteland of our sin. He opened blind eyes. He rescued us from chains we didn’t even know held us down. And just like the song declares, “I once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now I see.”
This grace is not given so we can hoard it. It is given so we can pass it on. If God poured out such abundant grace on us — enough to secure eternity with Him through Christ Jesus — how can we withhold it from others? Yet often, those closest to us — our families, our spouses, our children — receive the least grace from us. We let impatience and familiarity strip away kindness.
But Scripture reminds us: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14). To be salt and light, we must extend grace, even when it costs us pride or comfort.
Grace does not flow naturally from us. More often than not, it feels like pulling teeth to give it away. But if we call ourselves followers of Christ, grace must define us.
So today — start small. Show grace to the person you struggle with most. Offer a kind smile. Share a word about Jesus. Extend patience to your children or forgiveness to your spouse.
And remember this: everything you have, and everything you are, you did not earn. You deserve nothing but judgment. Yet God, in His amazing grace, gave you forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.
Prayer
Father,
Thank You for the amazing grace You have given me through Christ.
I confess that I have not always shown that grace to others,
especially to those closest to me.
Teach me to forgive quickly, to correct gently, and to love deeply.
Help me to reflect the same grace You showed me
when I was lost and blind in my sin.
Let my life be a living testimony of Your amazing grace.
In Christ’s name, Amen.
Takeaway
Grace received must become grace given. If you have been rescued by amazing grace, let others taste it through you.
