Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give. (NIV)

Driving would be much more enjoyable for me if it wasn’t for all the bad drivers on the road.  It’s not just in Alaska – bad drivers can find me anywhere. Maybe it’s a driver who is actually unsafe – they’re speeding, swerving, or cutting other drivers off. Maybe it’s a driver who is too close behind me, even though there’s a car in front of me, and I can’t drive faster! Come on! Maybe it’s the driver who keeps their high beams on when driving towards me, even after I flash them. Maybe it’s the distracted driver who is on their cell phone. My commute would be a lot more pleasant if I didn’t have to deal with all the other drivers.  

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In today’s scripture, Jesus sends out the twelve disciples to proclaim the Good News.  In Matthew 10:1, Jesus called the disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.  In verse 7, he told them to proclaim the message that “the kingdom of heaven has come near.” Then, in verse 8, today’s verse, he tells them to “heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons. Freely you have received; freely give.”

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He gave them power, he gave them compassion, he gave them authority, he gave them knowledge, he gave them relationship, he gave them grace, and so much more. Based on what he had given them, his disciples had the ability to do things that they could never do on their own, and Jesus wanted them to share those things freely.  

What has God given you that you can share with others? He has given me so many things that I can share. They range from tangible things like giving of my finances, to intangible things like giving of my time or sharing the Good News.

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But the thing that struck me today is that I should give grace, as well. God has given me so much grace – I’m a child of the King, chosen by Him, forgiven by Him, and blessed by Him.  None of it is deserved; it has been freely given.

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You may have noticed in my first paragraph that I’m not a very gracious driver. So, as I prepared this devo, I decided to give grace on the road.  Instead of getting frustrated with drivers around me who do something that irritates me, I would give them grace. Maybe they’re more important than I am, or they have a reason for driving so fast, or they have an emergency that draws them to their cell phone while driving.  Or maybe they just need Jesus? So, instead of getting frustrated with them, I decided to pray for them.  Sounds simple, right?

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It's not. I kid you not, after meditating on this scripture and thinking of a practical way to share the grace that I’ve been given, the very next day – the very next day! – I drove to work and a lawn care crew pulled right out in front of me.  I had to brake to avoid them, and I decided to pass them just to let them know that I had some place to be and didn’t want to get stuck behind their truck. I was irritated, and I wanted them to know it. As I passed them, I turned to look at the driver and was immediately convicted of how quickly I had forgotten to show grace. I hadn’t prayed for them. I wasn’t concerned about their safety. I wasn’t concerned about their salvation. I wasn’t concerned about their day. I wasn’t thinking of sharing God’s grace through my actions. So, I gave them a polite wave as I passed, and I prayed for them.  

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How about you?  Maybe you’re not called to heal the sick or raise the dead today, but can you give grace to people in a sinful world?  

Dear God, thank you for Your many blessings and for Your grace. May we take what You have given us and share those gifts with others, for Your Kingdom. Amen.