Gracious Living
For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly.-1 Peter 2:19
Gracious Living In The Bible
Of course, God would be our first example of gracious living in the Bible. He daily endures the ungratefulness of humankind against Him.
The heathen who rages against God does so with the very breath they receive from God.
Paganism, animism, and Wicca worship the earth as they curse the Creator of the universe.
Evolutionists refuse to believe in a Supreme Being able to speak everything into existence. Yet, they have enough faith to believe a grand explosion started life as a one-cell being that evolved into a super-smart human capable of being a rocket scientist.
Jesus is another example of gracious living. He left the portals of heaven to lower Himself to be a man. Receiving the abuse and cruelty of a convicted murderer, He continued to the cross as a sacrifice for us to enjoy eternal life.
- Moses endured the abuse of the Israelites but continued to lead them to the Promise Land.
- Joseph, abused by his brothers, reached out to help them in their most desperate time of need.
- Ruth’s ability to live graciously allowed her to receive life-sustaining help for her and her mother-in-law.
- Mary and Joseph chose gracious living as they surrendered to the will of the Father.
- Paul was beaten and abused by his countrymen but continued to labor for their souls.
- And so many more.
What Does Gracious Living Look Like Today?
Gracious living is offering grace (unmerited favor) to those who abuse us. That’s hard. But in verse 20, Peter asks, “For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure?”
I mean, isn’t that what’s expected? We do wrong; we receive the consequences. But when we mind our own business and do what we know is right and begin to get backlash for it, that’s when our natural self wants to lash out. However, when we do good and suffer the wrong, we are like Christ. Verse 22 says, “For to this you have been called.”
