But because of His great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions–it is by grace you have been saved. Ephesians 2:4-5, NIV
It is through God’s grace that we are saved, and not by our accomplishments or lack of accomplishments—thank God! And this verse from Ephesians reminds us that even when we are at our worst, God extends His love and gives us new life in Christ. Again, not because we have it all together, but because He loves us.
As we begin a new school year, it’s easy to carry over the good and bad assumptions, labels, and judgments from the past. We remember students by their previous behavior, colleagues by past interactions, and even ourselves by what we did or didn’t do last year. But God’s Word offers a radically different way of seeing people: through His lens of grace.
So, what would it look like to offer grace in our everyday environments? It might mean offering a second (or tenth) chance to a student who’s struggling. It could be greeting someone kindly, even if they were short with us yesterday. It could be holding back judgment and choosing to listen. Grace isn’t ignoring wrongs—it’s choosing to love in the face of them.
Educators, what if we started this school year with “new” clean slates? What if we intentionally reflect the heart of our gracious God, look beyond the brokenness, and call out potential? Just imagine what our school buildings would look like!
Heavenly Father, thank You for the unending, undeserved grace You have poured into our lives through Jesus Christ. We confess that we often hold onto the past instead of seeing the new beginnings You offer each day. Help us to give others what we ourselves have received from You. Teach us to see each person we encounter through the lens of Your grace. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Copyright Kathy Branzell.
Kathy has a heart for encouraging Christian educators and currently serves as the President of the National Day of Prayer Task Force. Prior to this role, she was the founder and president of Fellowship and Christian Encouragement (FACE) for Educators.
