The budget wasn’t lining up.  Tapping into the last dregs of my savings accounts would drain them dry in a matter of months.  It would take only minutes, if I chose to clear off the credit cards, again.  Something needed to shake loose, and one hour before I made a drastic move, it did.  God had prepared a lodging arrangement for me, with a few personalized perks.

The trade, as I understood it from the coordinating party, was a bit of cleaning in place of traditional rent fees.  I was ready to roll up my sleeves and dive into the systematic extermination of dust-bunnies, to ‘pay my way’, so to speak.  Duster in hand, I began my quest, knowing there’s no way to repay their generous hospitality, but it’s only right to try.  This is a core principle my family, and my Bible, have taught me. 

During the few years since I moved to North Indiana and began relationships with my current group of people, they have endeavored to teach me another principle: Grace.

Now, grace is a word I used frequently back home – responsive grace that doesn’t react harshly when provoked.  I tried to teach it to those around me, with varying degrees of success.  But, there’s more…

Back to the cleaning… The lady of the house came into the room and announced her revised plan to go shopping with her daughter, then she noticed the duster in my hand. Reducing the next few minutes of dialogue and eye gaze, she essentially said that I share their home by grace, not contribution. The price of my shelter is simply to participate in the household, to come and go and share and rest and do, as it meets our schedules and priorities.

Of course I will still seek to contribute, but from the perspective of appreciation rather than a list of demanded chores. This, this is grace.

God provided Himself, the only solution to our impossible problem, and far too valuable for us to ever afford. We cannot earn the grace He has extended, though we sometimes wear ourselves and one another out in the effort. Instead, if we will stop & look into His eyes for a moment, we can rest from our list-making and bask in His provision. Strengthened by His unconditional love, we can show our appreciation by participating in His household, extending Grace to others.