Need Grace?

What do we do when we don’t meet our expectations? Are we willing to extend ourselves grace? Recently, I was extended grace by the deputy that pulled me over. Yes, I was going above the speed limit and had no idea how fast I was going. I wasn’t even trying to get anywhere except home after a long day at the office!

Instead of being present in that moment of driving, I was going back over a rather terrible day at work. After I had been pulled over, sitting on the side of the road, being the reason people slowed down to gawk, I picked up my phone to kill time while the deputy went back to his car. There on my phone was an email apology from the client that I believed was in the wrong earlier in the day. I received it as I was wondering if the deputy sitting in my rearview mirror was going to issue me a ticket.

Honestly, I didn’t realize how long traffic stops took. The last time I was pulled over was in college. I sat there wondering about how I had put myself in this position and mentally beating myself up that I wasn’t paying attention. If I had been present, instead of reliving the chewing out I received at work earlier in the day because of a client that realized later he was in the wrong, I would have realized I was speeding.

It’s tough to let go, when we feel like we’ve been wronged. I felt wronged by my client and my colleagues who didn’t get all the facts before criticizing the entire project team. I was living in the past moment and I didn’t keep an eye on my speed. However, the deputy showed me grace and issued me a written warning, rather than the ticket I more than likely deserved.

Now I needed to make a decision, would I extend grace to my client whom I allowed to make my day tough and my colleagues who felt pressured to appease a client rather than assume the project team had done our best by the client? Would I also extend grace to myself as I asked God to forgive me as I was sitting in my car waiting on the deputy?

I believe God has called us all to extend grace and forgiveness. In Colossians 3:13, it says, “Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (NIV)

While it’s not easy, it’s the right thing to do. Also, remember to be present while driving or risk the possibility of a speeding ticket.