My Life and the word Gracious.......

The word gracious is an adjective that means something characterized by warm courtesy or kindness. A person that displays this characteristic can be described as a person being graceful. It refers to a compassionate or merciful nature or being condescendingly courteous. Something or someone graceful shows good taste, elegance, beauty and charm. I am currently reading a book to help me be the best wife and mother that I can. In this book it lists words that would be attributes of a women of God.

So I decided to study the word “graciousness”. Have you ever been talking to someone and seen a pretty girl come along that has a bad attitude? I have, and I have told my daughter that the person would be so much prettier if she displayed some graciousness. You know a person that displays this characteristic is so much more appealing. I personally had to reflect upon my own life.

If we are all honest with ourselves we would have to agree that we are not always gracious. I have been married for almost 15 years and I can say that unfortunately I have not always shown my husband graciousness. In fact I must say that I wish I could take back the times that I wasn’t so kind and merciful to him. However, with the Lord’s help I can say that I am changing all of that. We all do things or say things without thinking. We should be quick to hold our tongue. It says in Psalms 34:13 “Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile” This is in everything that we say. We have to remember that if we are saved then we are representing Christ when we speak. Sometimes I think that we as Christians seem to forget that part. This could even trickle right on down into our appearance.

OK, so I guess that I have opened a “can of worms” but I have to say my opinion on this situation. If we are saved and Christ lives and dwells within us…how come we think that it is perfectly exceptable to walk around looking like a bum? I am a very casual person, however, I have tried in the last five years or so to put into perspective how others see and view me. I know that looks are not “suppose” to be what counts. But, we should always be showing the attributes of graciousness because we are always letting others see us when we are out and about. I personally try to think about the fact that I could have the opportunity to speak to someone about Christ. First impressions are everything, and if we are representing Christ, then that lost person that I have a chance to witness to will be able to see the attribute of “grace” through me.

I hope that I have made you think of your own life and that you reflect on the attribute of “graciousness”. I personally want to say that I am displaying it better than I have in the past. So my challenge to you is are you showing others graciousness and are you always thinking that someone is watching you not only in this world but outside of it as well?
We need to also be willing to show ourselves gracious just as God has been gracious to us. He sent “His” one and only son Jesus to die on a cross to pay the debt for our sins. We should give others a second chance just as Christ has given us a second chance, and if honest it is third, fourth, fifth etc.

Jonah said this in Jonah 4:2; And he prayed unto the Lord, and said, I pray thee, O Lord, was it not my saying, when I was yet in my country? Therefore, I fled before unto Tarshish: for I knew that thou art a gracious God, and a merciful, slow to anger, and of great kindness, and repentest thee of evil.