Bible Verse
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Have you ever noticed how quickly we forgive our friends but how slowly we forgive our enemies? We make excuses for people we love when they mess up, but we keep a running list of everything wrong with people we don't like. This double standard reveals something uncomfortable about our hearts—we don't love like God loves. Today, we're going to look at why we hand out grace like it's a limited resource we only share with certain people, and what this pattern says about whether we truly understand what Jesus did for us on the cross.
Short Devotional
Jesus told a story about a servant who owed his master millions of dollars. The master forgave the entire debt. But that same servant went out and found someone who owed him a few dollars, and he had that person thrown in prison. When the master heard about it, he was furious. The servant had received massive grace but refused to give even a little grace to someone else. That's us when we cover wrongs for our friends but expose and attack people we don't like for the same mistakes.
Think about the last time someone in your inner circle—maybe a family member, close friend, or someone from your church group—did something hurtful or wrong. Chances are, you found a way to understand their behavior, give them the benefit of the doubt, or quietly let it go. Now think about someone outside that circle—maybe someone from a different political party, a different church, or just someone who rubs you the wrong way. When they do the same thing, do you respond with the same patience? Or do you share it with others, post about it online, or hold it against them? This selective grace doesn't just hurt our relationships—it reveals we've built walls around who deserves love, something God never intended.
Let's Pray
Heavenly Father,
I come before You knowing that You see everything—including the double standards in my heart. You know how quickly I forgive people I love and how slowly I forgive people I struggle with.
I confess that I have covered wrongs for those in my inner circle while stirring up conflict about the same behaviors in people I don't like. This selective grace exposes my prejudice and my conditional love.
Your Word says that hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs. I realize now that I've been choosing who gets that covering love based on my preferences, not based on Your heart.
Forgive me for keeping score with some people while giving endless grace to others. Forgive me for weaponizing someone's mistakes because I already decided I didn't like them.
Thank You for covering all my wrongs through Jesus. Thank You for not waiting until I cleaned up my act or joined the right group. You loved me first, completely, unconditionally.
Help me see people the way You see them. Give me the courage to extend the same grace to everyone—whether they're in my tribe or not.
When someone outside my circle messes up, help me respond with the same patience I show my closest friends. Break down the walls I've built around who deserves love.
Transform my heart so that my grace isn't selective anymore. Make me someone who covers wrongs for all people, not just the ones who look like me, think like me, or agree with me.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
Journaling Prompts
Think about the last three times you excused or covered a mistake for a close friend or family member. Now imagine someone you strongly disagree with making those same mistakes. Be honest—would you have responded differently? Why?
Who is one person or group of people you find it hardest to extend grace to? What specific behaviors or beliefs of theirs trigger your judgment, and what does that reveal about your own heart?
If God handed out grace the way you do—covering some people's sins while exposing others—where would you be right now? What does your answer reveal about how much you've truly understood the gospel?
The way we distribute grace tells the truth about whether we understand what we've been given. God doesn't call us to selective love—He calls us to cover wrongs for all people, even the ones who challenge us the most. May this week be marked by grace that doesn't pick favorites, love that doesn't keep score, and a heart that looks more like Jesus every single day.
Until next time,
May the Lord bless you and keep you;
May He make His face shine upon you;
And be gracious to you and give you peace.
God Bless!
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