As I write today, in early March, the wind is ruffling the surface of the lake and bending the budding tree branches; in spite of the air’s chill there is no doubt Spring is unveiling herself. It’s also the beginning of Lent, the time each year when many Christians work their way through a period of denial and sacrifice, as Christ sacrificed himself for us. This year, I find myself experiencing Lent in a new way, thanks to God drawing my attention to an article in a popular Christian magazine. A reader related how, rather than giving up chocolate or television for Lent, she instead reflected on people who blessed her life and sent a note each day during Lent to thank them for the gift of their friendship. I was so taken with the idea, I adopted it myself, and truly, it’s proving to be a soul-baring, grace-filled experience.

What is grace? “Grace” is a word that can take on a number of meanings. It can be a noun or a verb. Grace, in the sense I use it here, is both. Grace as in “the free and unmerited favor of God as manifested in the salvation of sinners and the bestowing of blessings.” God has graced me abundantly, and I am so incredibly grateful.

Grace as in “to confer honor or dignity on.” In the joy of my gratitude, I am moved to tell others of the grace they add to my life. In the blizzard of everyday chores, the minutiae of details we feel compelled to address 24/7, we so often overlook the simple graces conferred on us every day. We so often forget to thank those whom God’s grace has given us. We so often fail to recognize grace when we experience it.

The understanding and acknowledgment of God’s grace is transformative. Yet in order to be transformed, we must participate, take an active role. It’s not enough to passively accept God’s gift of grace, which He promises to all of us who believe in Christ. We must also be willing to “excel in this grace of giving” by seeking and seeing God alive in every day, giving Him thanks in the moment for His grace, and like Christ, giving ourselves to others as grace.

I paused a minute during my walk today, taking time to appreciate the beauty of a redbud tree, almost ready to burst into flower. God’s grace was there, too. Redbuds are different than other trees, which first send out leaves, then buds and flowers. A redbud in early Spring looks as if it still is slumbering: it has no veil of pale green. Rather, its branches are stark until, heralded by an unseen signal, they send out clusters of deep-purple buds, resembling dots of blood … Christ’s blood, shed for us. Then, with a bit of sunshine and God’s perpetual grace, those dark buds burst into the glorious bloom of Spring’s renewal.

If God can put his grace into something so simple as a tree in bloom, how much more has He put in us? And how are we acting in response to that grace so freely given? Maybe during Lent, rather than giving something up, we should instead “excel in the grace of giving” ourselves …  to God and to each other.

“… see that you also excel in this grace of giving.”
2 Corinthians 8:7

Thank you to my friend Janet Kowalski who shared today’s words. Janet and I met in Alaska last September. What a gift her friendship is. And bonus, she lives in the same town as our younger son and his family. I’m looking forward to meeting up with her for lunch later this spring.