Not everyone is a fan of grace. Read Luke 19:5-7. Grace is a key ingredient in our relationship with God. Motivated by a desire for a loving relationship, Jesus extends grace, the gift of forgiveness, and reconciliation. Because of grace, we can have a healthy relationship with God even if we fail a thousand times. Everyone is a fan of God’s grace when it is applied to themselves, but some are not fans when applied to others. We see that dynamic play out between Jesus and Zacchaeus. Zacchaeus climbs a tree to see Jesus. Jesus invites Zacchaeus down with an invitation to get together for dinner. In the first-century culture of the Middle East, eating together was a commitment to be in relationship with one another. Jesus was not just saying, “Let’s get a bite to eat.” Jesus was inviting Zachaeus into a friendship. The gospel writer Luke records the response of the crowd. They muttered, “He has gone to be the guest of a sinner.” The message of grace attracted big crowds. The application of grace caused muttering. When it is our turn to extend grace to others, we naturally lean toward withholding grace. We don’t want to see some people receive grace. We create a scale in our own moral standards about who should get grace and who should not. We become muttering judges, condemning God for extending grace to those who don’t deserve it. The next time we see an act of grace, let’s pause and soak it in. Let’s rejoice when someone receives grace. Let’s refrain from muttering.

God of grace, thank you for extending grace to us. Help us to be more like your Son, Jesus, so that our hearts are free to receive grace and rejoice. Forgive us for muttering and judging when you extend grace to others.