Being the Grace Recipient is Hard - A Lesson Learned at Starbucks

Today I was at Starbucks. That sentence should not surprise anyone. However, this day was exceptionally busy. The car line wrapped around and was congested so I took that as a cue to go inside to place my order today. I had my little guy with me who has problems waiting but today he did fairly well. We were discussing needs versus wants and the cost of things because it seems no matter where you are with kids in tow, they want to get whatever items are calling out around them. A great marketing ploy I say.

As we were there waiting for quite a while, the lady in front of us starting talking to us a bit. I was relieved because she glanced at us once or twice before this and I was thinking perhaps she was annoyed with us. Waiting in long lines does that to people you know. However, she started polite conversation with me and little guy. As we got closer to the cash register she asked Dakota what he would want out of the food case. I quickly replied, "oh no, he wants a kids hot chocolate and knows we cannot get anything out of the case today." I did ask him however if we did get something what would be your favorite thing? He pointed it out and I said good maybe next time.

The lady in front of us ordered her coffee and purchased a gift card. She turns around and hands it to little man and says, "Now he can get whatever he wants." I was overwhelmed. At a loss for words and pressured to put my order in, I took out the card and let little man get the cake pop and a hot chocolate with it. I thought it was only a few dollars but then ordered my coffee too. The card covered all of it! What a blessing.

Though now because it was so busy we had to wait with the lady. I felt embarrassed and obligated. I questioned in my mind how much was actually on that gift card. I was suspicious. I had little man thank her and I thanked her as well. She said we should come to the airport and see the planes sometime because it is what she works with. It was so kind; but awkward.

I cannot help but to wonder why? Why is grace so hard to receive? Little man seemed to have no problem receiving it. Oh to have that faith; the faith of a child. I however have lived life. I have trusted and received the crippling pain of deception and betrayal. I have lived enough to know life hurts. I have toughened my heart so to avoid this pain. Yet, a gift as precious, not earned, is difficult to receive. That is grace.

Grace is unearned favor from God; not that we can earn it anyway. The Father is different from human beings. Though we are created in His image we all are flawed and fallen. We all need a Savior to save us from this bent toward sin. I don't know the reason for this unexpected gift from this lady however I do know that every good and perfect gift comes from above; from the Father. The Father who never changes, never gives up on you, who chose you in Him before the creation of the world, who is delighted in you, who loves to the point of death on a cross for the simple reason of saving us. He benefited nothing from this act, it was purely grace; a free gift from the heart of our Father.

If I struggle with receiving a gift card from a stranger then of course I struggle with receiving His grace. I find it hard to believe that the unlovely and unloving could be loved in such a way. Maybe that is why I love the story of Beauty and the Beast. I see myself as the beast who let love change him. That is how the Father works. He pours His unstoppable love on us over and over again with the hopes of us trusting Him. It is that love that holds me and keeps me running back to Him over and over again. That is precious grace.