Our Black Lab, Sadie is a runner. Always has been, always will be. Ever since we adopted her, we have been in the practice of giving her a milk bone when she comes inside upon voice command. We want her to be in the habit of coming inside for a treat should she ever accidentally get outside.
Our cat, Oreo started to wonder why every time the dog would come inside, she would receive a treat. Before long, when the dog came in for her milk bone, the cat would start to beg. Having a soft heart, I gave the cat a treat every time I rewarded the dog.
One day our oldest daughter Amanda was over and saw me give the dual treats. Immediately she challenged me. “Dad, I understand why Sadie gets a treat, but why the cat? He has done nothing to deserve anything.” She was right. The dog received a treat based on merit, and the cat received a treat based solely on grace. Before long, we started calling the cat treats “grace bits”.
We receive God’s grace based on nothing we have done or not done. We receive it based solely on His love for us. We have done nothing to deserve a gift so rich and so pure. Mark Twain once said that if the only way we could get to heaven was by merit (and not grace), our dog would get there and we would not.
Now, every time I let the dog in and give her a treat based on merit and the cat a treat based on grace, I think about our wonderful gift from God. It is by grace we are saved, and grace alone. Thanks be to God!
Our cat, Oreo started to wonder why every time the dog would come inside, she would receive a treat. Before long, when the dog came in for her milk bone, the cat would start to beg. Having a soft heart, I gave the cat a treat every time I rewarded the dog.
One day our oldest daughter Amanda was over and saw me give the dual treats. Immediately she challenged me. “Dad, I understand why Sadie gets a treat, but why the cat? He has done nothing to deserve anything.” She was right. The dog received a treat based on merit, and the cat received a treat based solely on grace. Before long, we started calling the cat treats “grace bits”.
We receive God’s grace based on nothing we have done or not done. We receive it based solely on His love for us. We have done nothing to deserve a gift so rich and so pure. Mark Twain once said that if the only way we could get to heaven was by merit (and not grace), our dog would get there and we would not.
Now, every time I let the dog in and give her a treat based on merit and the cat a treat based on grace, I think about our wonderful gift from God. It is by grace we are saved, and grace alone. Thanks be to God!
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