I met God on a smelly path between a septic pond and a river—an apt metaphor for my life that day. As a new pastor, I was consumed by guilt and doubt, questioning my role as a husband and a pastor and my worth to God. “Why would You love me?” I cried out as the stench of the rotting sewage filled my nostrils. His answer rushed in and washed away my doubt. “Why not you?” That day, I learned that the message, method, majesty, and mystery of the life and purpose of Jesus boil down to one word: grace.

God forgives us. We forgive others. And we forgive ourselves. That’s the life-changing message of the New Testament. It’s the method behind the madness of the cross, the majesty of God displayed in seeming disgrace. Grace is the mystery that is a stumbling block to those who live by the law and foolishness to the learned. But to those summoned by God’s grace, it is the wisdom and power of God.

God’s love for us has never been in question (1 Corinthians 1:22-24). Grace clarifies this love and summons us to love Him in return, freeing us to fulfill the first and greatest commandment: to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

Grace is also the key to unlocking our love for our neighbors and ourselves. Until we wipe the smudge of sin from our glasses, we will never see the beauty of the person before us. In the same way, we must wipe the film off the mirror to see ourselves. Grace removes the stain of sin so we can love.

And yet grace is the one thing we struggle with the most. The Law gives us clear boundaries. Grace forgives us when we cross them. Wisdom grants us sophistication. Grace seems too simple to be true. But to those who get it, grace is a life-giving flow of love and acceptance.

Live by grace by receiving it freely and then offering it to others.