A Place Of Grace

grace - A Place of Grace

Be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. 2 Timothy 2:1

My friend Lucy is a stay-at-home mom. Money is tight, so she baby-sits another child and does occasional part-time work. Even then, Lucy and her husband, Larry, can barely pay their bills, especially when an unexpected expense comes along. When a car breaks down or a child gets sick, the family finances are especially tight. Movies and eating out are out of the question. At times it gets discouraging for Lucy.

A friend of Lucy’s called to invite her down for a weekend visit, but she told her Lucy would need to pay for her own transportation. Lucy told her friend it wasn’t a good time and that maybe they could do it later. Sadly, she hung up the phone.

Larry saw how Lucy’s eyes lit up when she received her friend’s invitation. He let her know he wanted her to go. He knew they could work out the money. He pointed out to her that there were five weeks in that month, so he’d have an extra paycheck. Lucy was ecstatic! It was just the right thing to lift her spirits and encourage her.

Larry’s willingness to sacrifice for Lucy helped her exchange her sadness for joy. He showed her what grace in action looks like, and it strengthened her.

Lucy’s story and Larry’s sacrifice helped motivate me (Teresa) to demonstrate more grace toward David. I now look for opportunities to bestow favor on him when he least expects it. After all, marriage is supposed to be a place of grace.

In what specific ways can you strengthen your spouse’s heart today?