“We also need to stay close to those who might be called ‘grace-providing’ people.”

A thought by John Ortberg (2015-05-05) from his book, Life-Changing Love: Moving God's Love from Your Head to Your Heart (p. 145). Zondervan. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

That is so true.  As John says, “We need some people who accept us, welcome us, and love us, no matter what. I need some grace-providers. You do too. You need them because you have other kinds of people in your life. You have some ‘grace-impaired’ people in your life, who will judge you and critique you and remind you of your raggedness in ways that will tear you down.”

He then says, “How do you recognize these grace-providers? Grace-providers notice things about you; they pay attention to your heart and life. Grace-providers speak truthfully to you — both easy words and hard ones. Grace-providers are not people who only say what you want to hear, but they speak the truth in love. Grace-providers simply never cease to love you. They see beneath the surface; they see the darkness as well as the goodness in your heart. But when they see the darkness they do not pull away. They are not repulsed. They move toward you. You may be a rag doll, but you are God’s rag doll, and grace-providers never let you forget it.”

Now my desire is also to be one.  I don’t just need one but I need to be one.  John says, “It is much harder to be ungracious to people, to refuse to forgive others, when we’re standing in the shadow of the cross.”  That is so true. 

So do you have a grace-provider and are you one?