I was meeting with a young mom and she was sharing with me the challenges of raising a little boy. Apparently, her little guy thought it quite funny, at the ripe ole age of 4, to potty talk- as she called it. So, not wanting to punish him first thing; she warned him and said, “Jansen, mommy is going to give you grace and not spank you, but you are not to talk like that again. Do you understand?” Jansen replied, “Yes, mommy.”
Just a while later, she overheard potty talk coming from his little mouth once again. She walked over to where he was playing; he looked up as she came close. “Jansen, didn’t I tell you not to use potty talk? “Mommy, can I have just a little more grace?” She turned away so he would not see the smile on her face, warning him again not to use potty talk again. She left the room knowing she could not spank him, but would have to give him just a little more grace.
Later on that day, Jansen did something he knew his mommy would not like and as she prepared to punish him, he looked at her with a grin and holding up his little hand; positioning his pointer finger barely above the thumb, his expression and gesture asking, Mommy, can I have just this much more grace? Once again, how could she not give him just a little more grace? How was she to tell him that grace was limited and she was all out of grace!
Oh, how many times have I needed just a little more grace from my Heavenly Father! Just a little more grace Father, please! No matter how many times I fall down, no matter how many times I potty talk (complain, criticize, grumble), no matter how many times I doubt His love or faithfulness, no matter how many times I fail to trust Him – HE IS FULL OF JUST A LITTLE MORE GRACE! There is no need for me to look up at Him with pointer finger barely positioned above my thumb as if to ask- Father, can I have just this much more grace? His grace is absolutely limitless towards me. There is no need for me to ask- it is there for me anytime, and as much as I need!
Father, truly your grace is amazing! Thank you for the unlimited grace you abundantly pour out on me. Help me to exercise unlimited godly grace towards others.
“But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift.” Ephesians 4:7
“ The Law came in so that the transgression would increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, so that, sin reigned in death, even so grace would reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 5:20-21
“My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
Dianne