the most powerful word

What do you think is the most powerful word in the English language?

Successful?
Awesome?
Magnificent?
Omnipotence?
Determination?
Billionaire?

I have been pondering this recently. Our culture is one in which we are encouraged to assert our rights, be noticed and make sure we are number one (at any cost). I have seen adverts on TV for DVDs and books that will make you successful and powerful. There are people who will tell you that by the power of positive thinking you can do anything and have all your dreams come true*.

But rarely (outside the Bible) is this incredibly powerful word considered:

Grace.

It sounds so… weak, wishy-washy, feeble – certainly in comparison to the words I suggested above. But it is disarming, subversive, unexpected and profound. Not only God’s grace we receive – which has overcome sin and overthrown its worst effects – love and forgiveness we do not deserve, but grace we show to others.

When someone is ranting at us do we help by ranting back or can a gracious response disarm?

When someone is seeking to exert their power and will on others will we achieve as much by meeting power with power as we can with a little subversive grace?

When someone is putting into practice all of the self-assertiveness that they have found on a DVD or in a book, can a gracious response unexpectedly puncture pomposity and soften stubbornness?

When someone is over-reacting to something can a little grace help to add perspective?

So what are these gracious responses? Things like:

How can I help you?
Is there anything I can do that will make things better for you?
I am sorry that you are upset.
Please help me to understand what is wrong.
Bless you.
I will be praying for you.


Not quite the grace I meant….
Following a great sermon on lifestyle evangelism one family thought they had better do something to witness to Jesus. So they invited their neighbours to dinner the following Friday night.

When it came to the meal, the hostess was keen to show their neighbours that they upheld Christian standards in their home. 

So she asked little 5 year old Johnny to say grace. 

Little Johnny was a bit shy. “I don’t know what to say.”

There was an awkward pause, followed by a reassuring smile from the boy’s mother. 

“Well darling,” she said, “just say what Daddy said at breakfast this morning.” 

Obediently, the boy prayed.

“Oh God,” he said, “We’ve got those awful people coming to dinner tonight.”


* I can’t see how this is possible. Sadly our culture and economy is based on the premise that some people will succeed and that others will be their employees / servants / slaves. We can’t all be at the top of that pyramid no matter how much we may wish / dream / visualise it!