For those of you that missed it, I wrote some words about the controversy about the prediction that the world would end this past Saturday. If you didn’t get a chance to read it, you can read it by clicking here, or just by scrolling down.

Now, for today’s reflection.

Grace changes things.  I fully believe that.

The most powerful thing that ever happened in my walk with God was when I came to understand grace.  Now, by understand, I don’t mean that I totally understand it, or that I can know all the mysteries of God’s love and mercy, or that I am able to know the full depth of the mind of God.

That’s not what I mean about understanding grace.

What I do mean is this. I’ve learned that God loves and accepts me, no matter what. I’ve learned that there is nothing that I can do to make God love me any more, or any less, than He does at this exact moment.  He simply loves me, me no matter what.

I don’t have to be prefect.  I don’t have to earn it.  And if I make a mistake, I still have it.  It is not earned.  It is given. That’s why it’s grace.

And that concept that I don’t have to earn God’s love has changed my life.

I pray that you know that this morning. I pray that you understand that your relationship with His is not based upon any works you can do, any actions you can take, any beliefs you may have. It’s based up His grace and love for you.

You can’t earn it. It’s just given.

And when you understand that, it changes your walk with God. And with other people. Because if God loves me, He must love you. And if He loves you, then I should love you as well.

Listen to what Paul tells us this morning in Colossians:

Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.

Grace is like salt.  It changes. It makes it better. It makes it more appealing.  It makes it more suitable.  It makes it more enjoyable.

Grace changes everything.  It changes our lives.

And it should change the way we we talk. Today, has grace changed you?

Has grace changed the way you talk? I’m not talking about the words you use.  I’m talking about the way you use them.

Do you criticize?

Tear down?

Destroy?

Hurt?

Mock?

Or do you build up? Encourage?  Strengthen?  Uphold?  Paul tell us to let our words be seasoned with grace. Today, if grace has changed us, has is changed the way that we talk?

May our words today be seasoned with grace. May our words today make a difference.