Grace Isn’t What You Think It Is

In a world that often equates value with performance, the idea of grace can seem counterintuitive. We are taught from a young age that we get what we work for, that success and acceptance come through achievement and merit.

But there’s a different truth out there, one that challenges this deeply ingrained belief.

This truth holds that all people, without exception, are in a state of profound disconnection — from themselves, from others, and from God. This is not due to a lack of effort or goodwill, but to a deep-rooted issue that permeates every aspect of our being. No amount of good deeds or self-improvement can fully bridge this gap.

Enter Jesus. In his life, death, and resurrection, we see the ultimate expression of grace. Jesus demonstrates a love that is not based on merit, but on unconditional acceptance. He confronts the brokenness of humanity head-on, not by ignoring or excusing it, but by taking on all of the brokenness and failure himself.

Jesus embodies the truth that God reaches out to us not because we deserve it, but because we need it. His grace is not to be earned or achieved, it is a sacrifice made on our behalf because in His eyes we have worth beyond the value of our actions.

To understand this — to base your identity on his grace, and his view of you instead of the views of other people — it results in a life-changing shift. No longer is one’s worth tied to their performance or perfection. Instead, they are free to live from a place of acceptance, knowing they are loved not for what they do, but for who they are in the eyes of Christ.

In a society that often ties worth to productivity and perfection, the grace of Jesus can seem radical, even subversive or scandalous. It suggests that we are more flawed than we care to admit, but also more deeply loved than we dare imagine. It invites us to stop striving and rest in an acceptance we could never earn.

Grace, then, isn’t what you might think it is. It is the unmerited, transformative love of God, embodied in Jesus, that meets us in our deepest need and invites us into a new way of being.