It's all about Grace

Tonight I met Dana for the first time.
We've been online "friends" for about 2 or 3 years now. We have many mutual friends and we read each other's blogs and tonight we actually met for dinner and drinks.

Dana is fabulous.
Dana gets it.

It's always a bit strange, you know, when you "know" about someone's life because of Facebook (oh how I love thee!) and blogs. But then to meet them face to face in real time, well, it could be a real disappointment. What if they talk with their mouth full? What if they are rude to the service staff? What if they interrupt you in the middle of your best story?

Dana was none of those things and the only reason our meeting was cut short was because of time. Sometimes I really hate time and how we measure it.

We finally had the space to share ourselves over pizza and beer. She had the pizza while I had the beer. It was Stein night at New Holland and I borrowed an unused stein and drank 32 oz of hard cider for, like, $7 (I dunno for sure though because Dana wouldn't let me buy my beer).

We talked about Grace.

A few weeks ago while I was writing down my memoir in a little hotel room in Traverse City I wrote this sentence, "I moved to Philadelphia and for the first time in my life I learned about Grace." Or something along those lines at least.

It seems to me that I grew up in a culture that understands Record Keeping but not Grace. Allow me to explain the difference.

Record Keeping looks like this:
I mowed your lawn, so later you can mow mine.
I borrowed your garlic press, so you have the right to borrow mine.
I bought your dinner, so next time dinner is on you.
I took care of your pets while you were away, so you owe me a favor when I go out of town.

This is Record Keeping, folks, plain and simple. There is no Grace there.

Grace, on the other hand, is a lot like Love. It keeps no records. There is no accountant. If I do something nice for you, YOU DO NOT OWE ME A THING.

We talked about growing up in a culture of faith that is all about who is doing what, how often, who is keeping tabs and why. And honestly, Christians are some of the worst witnesses when it comes to extending Grace.

One of the best examples I have of Grace comes from Mexico. I studied Spanish at the University of Guadalajara about six years ago. In Mexico they extend the best kind of Grace that I have ever seen. Let's say that the clerk at the store is cranky. Instead of complaining about the service, a Mexican will say, "It looks like they didn't have a good breakfast today."

Breakfast, you hear? "It looks like they didn't have a good breakfast today."

Plain and simple. If someone isn't living up to your expectations, extend them some Grace because maybe they didn't eat well today. You see? They don't owe you. Don't do favors for people with the hopes that one day you can "cash in" on the favors and get something in return. Do nice things for people because you are a nice person. And you are a nice person, I've met you.

You are saved because of Grace alone. You are Not saved because you did something great for Jesus and he owes you one. God does not work in a Cash economy. He works with Grace alone.

Eat a good breakfast tomorrow and if someone you meet is cranky, maybe offer to buy them breakfast the next day?