A Story of How One Act of Grace Changed Lives.
The concept of grace, and grace itself, can be elusive to understand, receive, and give to others. Two foreign exchange middle school students who witnessed grace firsthand had their lives changed for all eternity. If we can understand grace, the message of the gospel becomes clear, and undeniable. If you can understand grace, maybe your life can change too!
‘Going Therefore’ by Staying Home
Our former church took part in a program hosting exchange students. To protect those involved, I will not be disclosing the location.
Our young family took part as well as many others, opening up our home for about three weeks to pairs of students interested in the life and culture of American families.
They and their parents were expressly told that these families would be from a specific church in Texas, that the students would even take classes on various subjects taught by Christians, and they would attend services along with their families.
The students arrived in our home after about a week or so of traveling all around US hot spots. Seeing New York City, Boston, even touring Harvard, was the first leg of the trip. Staying with us was the middle (and longest) portion of the trip, and the third sent them to Disneyland, touring California, etc.
Their itinerary was packed, as were their minds being immersed in American culture all at the ages of 13 through 15!
Welcome Home
We did all we could to welcome them into our family. At the end of their stay in our home, they called us, “American Mom and Dad and Sister.” And we loved and cared for them through game times, shopping trips, sporting events, and talks during family meals around our worn table.
Even though they had their “school” time in the mornings, they still brought homework from their school, and some worked on their assignments well into the night. For these students, school normally lasts until 8pm. Leaving no time for family interaction, sports, meals, or really, togetherness.
What About God?
As a mom, it was hard to hear about the stress that the students endured in their young lives.
In their part of the world, numbers define who you are and what you will be.
While they were not able to communicate this in English, we had heard from people who visited their communities and saw firsthand the school-class strife. The students would mention that their tests meant everything, many times through tears and visible distress.
These children are brought up to compete against each other to get the best grades, to get the best job (most times already selected for them), and therefore to have the best life.
For most, school is the determining factor of their entire lives.
While many of them had loving parents who truly thought this was the best course, wanting the world for their babies, we saw that grace was not allowed. Grace was not even a word they had in their language.
In our student’s home country, there is no (visible) church. Their country prohibits the worship and teaching of God.
But we all have a Creator. We all long for our Creator and purpose.
For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother’s womb.
14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.- Psalm 139:13-14
If we are not taught about our Father, then we become our own God, and being God is all-encompassing.
In being our own god we lack any real power, real omniscience, and since we are not actually love, all we can offer or do are paltry works and our own ideas of “success”.
We are not gracious gods in that we typically do not extol grace to ourselves or others.
Our home life, while imperfect and busy, was not what they were used to. Day after day, we watched the stress melt away. A few days in and the girls’ nerves would lessen and they would skip and sing around our home. Playing games and giggling as middle schoolers should.
“What Is It?”
The girls watched us pray before each meal, but more importantly, all the time. If there was something that came up, we would pray about it with our young daughter, and we’d invite them to join us if they wanted to. We never pressured them to worship or pray or take part, but we visibly showed our reliance upon Christ.
They loved Harry Potter, and so does our family. So we took the chance to allegorize with the story, showing how Harry was selfless much like Christ, even sacrificing himself to save his friends and even enemies,
(Relax, we know that HP is not JC)
We worked with the story to share THE STORY!
They would ask us questions about God and Jesus and grace, and we would do our best to answer (while praying for help). Always aware of our lack in describing things of such magnitude, and wanting so badly for their salvation.
Having had many medical issues in the past, they saw me continue to praise God, and how my family helped me get around. Learning that I could not drive at night due to my extensive eye surgeries.
I really think that they could not understand our family at first.
Why weren’t we pushing our daughter constantly? Who did we believe in? Why? Where was the drive to be the best amongst our peers? Why was our goalpost in the “wrong” place?
What is it? – “It” being Christianity, is one of the questions we received. We shared the gospel with them and did the best we could to share what grace meant.
As usual, they would ask a question, and then immediately discuss in their own language together their thoughts about the answer. We would just sit there and look at each other with raised eyebrows.
Then Grace Happened
Before I shared how very works-based these girls lives were on account of there being no grace.
A trip to the craft store with “American Mom and Sister” literally shattered this.
On an afternoon after school, we decided to take the girls for some craft materials for a project we wanted to do with them. So we made the pilgrimage to Hobby Lobby. The girls were amazed at all the things. The craft-store overwhelm can happen to anyone!
As we got to the cashier to pay, one of our students saw glass crosses for sale next to the register. She went to get one, and I said, “I will buy it for you.”
She hesitated, and tried to pay, but eventually let me take care of it.
As soon as the cashier handed her the cross, she dropped it on the floor. It shattered everywhere.
Immediately, she started crying. My heart broke for her, and the whole line witnessed as the cashier quickly responded by picking up another cross which she handed to our student, and said, “You take this one. Do not worry about it.”
Our girl froze and stared through tears not comprehending what was happening. Until I gently touched her hand and said, “This is grace. She is giving it to you.”
At this point, I too had tears and smiled with all my heart and soul, thanking the cashier. A woman of God who had given us the best answer to the question of: “What is it?”
“We Want It”
The girls talked all the way home on the backseat, but their chatter seemed very serious unlike usual. They were getting to the bottom of something, and my daughter and I knew it was major.
As soon as we got home, the girls stayed in our living room instead of going back to their room. A friend also happened to be visiting from our church, and we talked together as the girls discussed something of what seemed to be of great importance.
Finally, one of the girls came up to me, speaking on their behalf.
“We want it.”
Was this the moment?
“What do you mean?” I replied. After conversing together in their language, “Jesus” was their shared response.
Even though the Word does not tell us a specific prayer to pray, my friend and I found a prayer in their language online that we printed out to give to them, and we all prayed to the Father that precious afternoon.
By God’s grace, two new sisters in Christ had their names entered into the “Book of Life” that day.
Nothing impure will ever enter it, nor will anyone who does what is shameful or deceitful, but only those whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.- Rev. 21:27
Set Free
If you have ever wondered what grace is, I suggest reading the book of Romans found in the New Testament. Paul gives us a breakdown here:
23 for all [a]have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; 25 whom God displayed publicly as a [b]propitiation [c]in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, [d]because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;- Romans 3:23-35
There are many who are still trying works as the way, but Jesus says HE is the way:
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.- John 14:6
Have you been set free, my friend?
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.- Gal.5:1
Sometimes our world has to shatter to show us grace. I am praying for you to release your striving. Submit your godship, and lay it down. Be set free by God’s grace today. As my dad learned a month before graduating into heaven, it is never too late to believe and accept God’s grace!
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