In the Know, Vol. 11: Extending Grace Starts with Our Hearts
The state of your heart holds the keys to everything. It determines how we speak, treat others, and even how we forgive and offer grace to those around us. That’s why, as a parent, the Prodigal Son parable in Luke 15 always interests me.
Only recently did I notice the older brother’s reaction at the end. His brother’s return is not good news to him. Frankly, he’s unhappy. I’d venture to guess it stirred up feelings of being overlooked and underappreciated. He’s worked hard for his dad, fulfilling responsibilities, and long hours with nary a celebration for his efforts. As a mom, the parent-to-child and sibling-to-sibling reactions in this story really speak to me.
In our home, we’ve tried to teach and model for our kids the importance of showing up for one another in good and bad times. It’s a value we want them to hold close as they get older. But you can’t do it if your heart is not okay. The father in this story knows this. We see it in his responses to his younger son’s homecoming. The older son is a different story, and if you quickly read past his part, you’ll miss the gold nugget of the story.
A shift happens. The father sends a message, asking his older son to attend the party for his younger brother. He refuses, but instead of sweeping the older brother’s response under the rug, the father goes to him. He doesn’t give him a stern word or a pull-yourself-together look. He engages in a conversation in an attempt to understand the condition of his older son’s heart. After hearing him out, the father explains the why behind his own actions. The father’s simple act shows us how our heart affects our ability to extend grace to others. At this moment, the parenting goal is not a lesson in obedience, it’s a lesson about matters of the heart.
Parenting is hard, and trying to parent through the lens of grace can be even more difficult. The father in this parable challenges me to pay attention to the heart, whether my own or my children’s. Proverbs 4:23 says, “Above everything else, guard your heart. Everything you do comes from it.” My outward actions reflect the state of my heart, no matter if I’m choosing to give grace and love to others or if I withhold it.
What about you? What has parenting through the lens of grace taught you?
DOES GRACE STILL AMAZE YOU?
If you want to dive into what the Bible says about grace, try this 6-day reading plan through key parts of Romans. It will guide you through Paul’s teaching about grace as a gift from our Heavenly Father. This is sure to stir your heart, so make sure to have a journal and pen handy to jot down the insights and truths you discover along the way!
BUILD COMMUNITY WITH OTHER MENTORS
We’ve really enjoyed our Collective Speaking mentor gatherings the past two months. We’ve spoken with wise mentors and learned gained from their experiences. We’ve also learned from all the great questions you’ve asked. If you’d like to join the fun this month, we’d love to have you on March 31st at 12pm ET.
RSVP for our Collectively Speaking gathering.
EPHESIANS 2:8-9 PHONE WALLPAPER
It can be hard to set aside time in our busy schedules for Scripture memorization. We feel it ourselves, which is why we created this wallpaper for your phone. Set it as your lock screen or home screen, and you’ll always have it at the ready when you find yourself with a few minutes to spare. Reading through the verse a few times before you send a text or look through Instagram is not only a good reminder of Scripture’s power, but it will help you commit it to memory.
Mentor Tip: When you talk about Grace with your mentees, send this out to your group as a way to help them keep one of that month’s Scriptures front and center each day.
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