What is Grace? That is when God gives you what you need, not what you deserve. Grace is when God says, “I am going to take your problem and make it my problem.” Grace is God’s Riches given to us at Christ’s Expense. Grace is what we should be offering to others instead of criticism and blame for everything that occurs in our society!

It amazes me how many people have nothing better to do than to criticize everything that is written, said, or done! What does it even mean to have a personal opinion without someone jumping down your throat and trying to persuade you that their opinion is better or the only right opinion? That is unheard of today. It frightens me to think what we are modeling and teaching our youth today. They are learning that if you say something long enough and loudly enough it will be true! It does not even matter whether it is really true at all. Respect for educators, law enforcement, and even for family is almost a lost practice! Respect for a person’s own identity and rights is being replaced with the idea that, “I am owed!” “I don’t have to do anything to earn anything because the fact that I AM means anything I want is mine!”

We are making every problem in our society about politics. The sad thing is when all those politicians are long gone, our world will be left with lots of broken relationships, hurt feelings, and memories of protesting that brought anger and ruin to our society and influenced our children in many ways we really did not expect. We are teaching them to scream loudly and get what you want. What has happened to honor, respect, and innocence? If enough people proclaim loudly enough for long enough, you are guilty! It does not matter what the evidence points to or how innocent you are.

We are in dire need of change! Education doesn’t necessarily make us intelligent! How we use our education determines how intelligent our society is. Each of us needs to determine if we want to be a part of the problem or a part of the solution. Personally, I want to be part of the solution. Most of the time, I try to keep my opinions to myself, and I try to listen to all sides of situations! Sometimes, I suffer from “foot in mouth disease” and speak when I need to just listen. The thought I try to keep in mind is will what I have to say really make a difference, is it necessary, and most of all, “What Would Jesus Do?”

As it is written:

“Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.” Proverbs‬ ‭10:12‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7:9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“A hot-tempered person stirs up conflict, but the one who is patient calms a quarrel.” Proverbs‬ ‭15:18‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Until next time,

Hester Guest