Do You Ever Tire of the Word “Grace”?

Do you ever tire of the word grace? I have to admit, I do. I tire of people telling me that we should give our kids grace, or that we are free to do as we please because we are all under grace. I hesitate to write this, because grace in the Biblical sense is a beautiful word.  The beauty of the cross and the love of the Savior. It compells me. It draws me in  and breaks my foolish tendency to want to go my own way.

But  nowadays, the word grace seems synonymous with “license.” You know–the “don’t tell me what to do” kind of attitude prominent in our culture. We are scared into thinking that telling your kids to do something will make them rebel.  The natural man hates authority of any kind. We crave self-rule and hate to be told the littlest thing. I got a chuckle at my friend’s Facebook status yesterday. She wrote, “I am brushing my teeth…even though the scripture didn’t tell me to.” Thanks, Kaitlyn, for the laugh.

“Grace does not forbid giving directions, promises, corrections and warnings. Only cruelty would forbid such help.” Bryan Chapell

Imagine this scenario.

As a mother, I go out to run errands and I give my kids some instructions.

“Don’t turn on the stove while I am gone and don’t go near the pond outback. I will be home in two hours.”

After I leave, the legalist child begins compiling a list for all the other children entitled “Twenty  Activities Both Dangerous and Detrimental To Avoid Whilst Mom is Away.”

1. You must not answer the door.

2. We must avoid using the Microwave, toaster and iron.

3. All electrical outlets must be capped…

The lawkeeper/legalist child starts then policing the other children for not abiding by his set of twenty laws.

The licensious child may exclaim “I am going to run around the kitchen with scissors and play ball in the road. Mom never mentioned that!”

They post as their FB status: “Running with Scissors.” They just can’t help themselves. They want to flaunt their independence.

Neither child is right. In their own eyes, and in their own ways, they are making life work the way they want it to. Inside they are either lawbreakers or lawkeepers. Neither one has really considered the heart of what I was telling them I wanted.

Continued tomorrow.