Here, Paul sends an urgent message to the Corinthians: Do not let the gift of God’s grace to go for nothing. No one gives a gift with the expectation that it will be left in the box and hidden away on the top shelf. Through Jesus, we are offered mercy and grace, but to truly accept it means to be changed by it.
And how will we know we have been changed by it? According to Paul, it can be seen in the way we respond to difficulties with others. Instead of reacting with defensiveness, anger, or a spirit of retribution, we exhibit “purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God.” In this way, even when others may view or portray us as dishonorable, disreputable, sad, or hopeless, the One who knows us best sees us differently. In death we find life, in despair we find hope, and in sorrow we find joy. May our response to the gift of God’s grace become an open invitation to others.
Today, say a prayer of thanksgiving for the grace offered to you through Jesus and commit yourself to responding to this gift in a way that is an invitation to others rather than an obstacle.