What about grace??

I had a conversation in Guatemala about grace, and it has permeated my mind ever since.  Even as I am talking with this young man about grace, I realize that I am just scratching the surface of something that is crucial to Christian living.  What is grace?  God giving us credit for something that Christ did for us.  In other words, when God looks at our works, He sees the perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ.  I am perfect in His sight even though I am a failure in practice.

What does it look like to live a life of grace?  To offer grace to others as I received it myself?  What would be required to live a life like this?  How would I talk?  How would I think?  How would I be received by others?

I think we, the church, need to get a handle on this.  I have NO room to criticize others when they fall short when I realize how short I have fallen.  I cannot hold anyone else to a standard that God Himself has not held me to.  I offer grace, only to have someone take advantage of it.  After all, isn't that what I do to the grace God offers me? 

I was reminded as I was driving yesterday that I need to offer grace to other drivers who don't drive as well as me.  At the store, I need to offer grace to people who take too long or are not good at their jobs.  At work, I need to extend grace to others who don't see eye to eye with me, because of course I am right.  At home, I need to blanket my family with grace because they don't always do things the way I would like them done.  Seriously, we have a problem with seeing the world through our busyness, our objectives, our desires, etc. and as a result, people who do not line up with us are problems.

Here's the thought that came to me.  In order to offer grace to others, I need more of God's grace.  When I don't apply someone's mistakes to their charge, but rather extend a forgiving and loving hand, I NEED God to give me that grace that is necessary.  On my own - even as I am thinking about this yesterday - I find myself criticizing (or should I say "critiquing" because it sounds less harsh) others. 

God give me the grace to grace others.  God give me the eyes to see the magnitude of your grace bestowed on me.  God grant me the willingness to lay aside my pride and arrogance that keeps me from offering someone just a portion of the grace God has extended to me freely!