GOD’s grace is contagious

Genesis 50: ¹⁵ When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, “What if Joseph holds a grudge against us and pays us back for all the wrongs we did to him?” ¹⁶ So they sent word to Joseph, saying, “Your father left these instructions before he died: 

¹⁷ ‘This is what you are to say to Joseph: I ask you to forgive your brothers the sins and the wrongs they committed in treating you so badly.’ Now please forgive the sins of the servants of the God of your father.” When their message came to him, Joseph wept.

¹⁸ His brothers then came and threw themselves down before him. “We are your slaves,” they said.

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.

============

Many times I have been wrong and when I am, I get scared of the person who I’ve wronged.  Sometimes I hide or I may even speak in ways that seem to ask for forgiveness. Little do I know that the evil I had planned was mean somehow for good. I have run into people who were gracious instead of righteous.

These people gave me mercy instead of judgment and it seemed to come at the right time. Maybe I should do the same.

• When I am gracious I build a person up.
• When I am gracious I enable people to see GOD.
• When I am gracious I act a little like GOD.

GOD’s grace is contagious. HE allowed HIS SON to die for me just to show me grace. HE expects me to show others grace while HE deals with their heart. HIS grace is sufficient.

• Have you wronged someone?
• Are you afraid to admit it to them?
• Can you face what you’ve done and ask for forgiveness?
• Won’t you forgive yourself and know GOD has forgiven you?