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1 Peter 4:10  "Each one should use Whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."

Did you catch it?  Peter is saying that each of us has received a gift from God and that we should use that gift in service to others.  Not really a new idea.  Jesus said, "Love your neighbor as yourself" right?  But look again at that second phrase, "faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms."  The first thing that stuck me about this phrase is that God's grace comes in various forms.  It appears differently at different times and God's grace to me may look quite different than God's grace to you.

Then I looked at that word administering; administer means to have charge of, direct, manage; to give or apply in a formal way; to mete out, dispense and to impose, offer or tender.  Wow!  Peter is indicating that we are in charge of dispensing God's grace!  And that we accomplish this task by using the gifts God has given us for the benefit of others.

  Let me give you an example.  My mom loved all things Irish and in our house almost as soon as she packed up the Christmas stuff she would get out her collection of Irish records (and I do mean records, not CDs)and begin playing Irish music.  We had shamrock decorations that went in all the windows and green everywhere.  We learned the Irish Jig and on St Patrick's Day watched the NYC Parade and of course enjoyed eating corned beef, cabbage and potatoes.  My mother passed on this love of Irish music, dance, food and fun to me.  Last Tuesday night on St Patrick's Day I had the opportunity to share this love of things Irish with 37 people from Westminster as we ate Irish stew, soda bread, corned beef, cabbage and potatoes and watched the film "Patrick" about the life of St Patrick.  What, you may ask, does that have to do with God's grace?  My love of Irish culture and history is a part of who I am and it has added to my life countless moments of joy.  It came to me as a gift, from my mother, yes, but also from God.   God is after all the source of all the good things in my life.  And when I share something of myself with others, I am sharing God's grace.  This is why God's grace comes in various forms.  It comes to us through people and so is shaped by them.  We are receiving God's grace whenever anyone does something nice for us, or shares a bit of who they are with us.  And we are sharing God's grace whenever we do something for others, or share a bit of ourselves with them.  It doesn't have to be in the form of a worship service, or bible study, or scripture verse, or prayer.  It can be a kind word, or deed, a laugh between friends, a taste from a favorite recipe, or a moment of silence.  God's grace comes in many forms because it comes to us from many people and we are charged with sharing it, distributing it, dispensing it, offering it.  How has God's grace come to you this week?  How can you share it with others?  Who will you share it with today?

God's grace abound to you in all its various forms.

Michelle