Grace

Grace comes free of charge to those who don't deserve it.  It comes in the form of goodwill or a generous disposition.  It can seem like indulgence or mercy when we're resentful or full of negative energy.  If you have a spiritual side, and believe in God, then you believe that God's love comes free of charge with no strings attached, no matter what you do.  Whether your friends and family react the same way is debatable. I think many people have been conditioned to accept their lot in life without realizing there is always light at the end of the tunnel, something positive within reach. 

 For example, I read about a woman in Boston who surprised a lot of homeless people in the early 1990s.  When her fiance backed out on their wedding and she couldn't get the deposit back on the banquet, she thought back to her time 10years before spent in a homeless shelter.  Rather than be upset about a lack of refund, she send banquet invitations to shelters and gave homeless people a champagne and chicken cordon bleu banquet.  Imagine their sense of a pleasant surprise! Those strangers who look out for us in unexpected ways are like guardian angels.  That's grace.

Consider forgiveness can be an unnatural act for people who struggle not to form grudges.   It's human instict to desire to 'get even'  when someone does you wrong.  If a date stands you up, you may secretly hope someone returns the favor in the future.  If your boss fails to respect you or treat you with respect, you may secretly hope the boss gets what he deserves.  If an adversary takes advantage of you while you're down, you may hope Forces beyond you even the score.   

Yet, people enter our lives to remind us success and peace of mind can't be founded on revenge.  In the story of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo, Jean Valjean stole bread when he was starving and was sent to prison,  When he was released, he was given the chance to stay overnight with a clergyman. During the night, Valjean stole the church silver and fled.  When the police brought him back the next morning, climing Valjean said the silver was a gift, the clergyman lied and said it was. He told Valjean to use the silver to make himself an honest man. For the first time in his life, he felt touched by an angel. He went out into the world and never saw the clergyman again.

Valjean is transformed by forgiveness and detective Javert spends his life trying to persecute him for past wrongs.  When Valjean shows grace to Javert, the detective is unable to cope and can find no corresponding forgiveness.  Valjean teaches me to do for others what they're unable to do for themselves.  Troubled people have a hard time with forgiveness because they've never learned.  You may grow to act as a saving grace.  Then, someone will oneday return the favor.

Personally, forgiveness isn't always easy for me.  Letting someone get away with dishonesty, malicious or harmful deeds without reprimand isn't exactly satisfying.  Injustice bugs me yet, then I remind myself that when I forgive, the negative energy loses its grip on me.  Whether or not earthly or Higher authorities deal with a situation as I would like, its not for me to decide.  When I let the burden of acting as judge disappear, I rethink scales of justice and mercy.  That's another kind of grace.  Perhaps guradian angels instill positive thoughts in our hearts and minds in order to influence our will and attitude toward good.

Comments

[koray]

"Personally, forgiveness isn't always easy for me. Letting someone get away with dishonesty, malicious or harmful deeds without reprimand isn't exactly satisfying."

I am curious if you still feel same, after more than 4 years, when it comes to forgiveness.

The story about a woman in Boston who surprised a lot of homeless people in the early 1990s is from a book called What's So Amazing About Grace? by Phillip Yancey.

Nice article.

[Liara Covert]

koray, apprecaite your comments and the reference for the story. To respond to your question, my views on forgiveness have shifted dramatically since this post. Direct experience in my life showed me that my perceived enemies are timeless teachers. I awaken to recognize a judgmental mind and shift attention to be guided by love in the heart. I now view everyone I encounter as a reflection of the degreee I accept myself unconditionally. Each person is a silent invitation to love myself and others more. Every moment is now an opportunity to let everyone I encounter know they matter, to know they are appreciated. I now see that people who are negative are simply asking to be shown compassion and forgiveness.