Grace is a funny thing. We often talk about it like it’s a concept, an abstract spiritual credit, a ticket that gets us into heaven. But grace isn’t a coupon code you redeem or something you can ship overnight from Amazon. It’s not a thing at all. It’s a person. And His name is Jesus.

But here’s the misconception many of us live under, even if we wouldn’t say it out loud: Grace gets you in the door, but obedience keeps you there.

We know that’s not how it works… but we still live like it is.

My Plan to Make Things Right

I learned this the hard way, through a 1979 two-door Mercedes that should’ve come with a warning label. I had too many friends stuffed into that tiny car, drove too fast through a dip in the road, and ended up blowing out the oil pan.

Panic set in. I didn’t call my dad right away. Instead, I tried to cover it up. I spent the entire day mentally preparing my defense, making a plan to fix it, strategizing how I would make it right.

And when I finally called him, he didn’t explode. He showed up, surveyed the damage, handed me back my keys, and quietly walked away.

Wait, what?

I thought I had to earn back his trust, prove my worth, fix the mess I made. But my dad had already cleaned up the oil, already made things right, and already decided to forgive me.

And yet, I still spent days walking on eggshells, waiting for the hammer to fall. I couldn’t receive the grace because it didn’t make sense to me. I was wearing the robe of shame, not sonship.

The Same Misconception… With God

Have you ever done that with God? Have you ever thought, I know He forgives me, but surely I have to prove I’m worth it now?

We promise things like:

• “God, I’ll read my Bible every day.”
• “I’ll pray for an hour if you just fix this.”
• “I’ll never miss church again.”

But that’s not grace. That’s a hired-hand mindset. That’s trying to earn back what Jesus already paid for.

When we live like obedience earns righteousness, we reduce grace to a transaction. But grace is not a contract, it’s a relationship. And righteousness is not a reward, it’s a gift.

The Prodigal Son and the Robe

In Luke 15, Jesus tells the story of a son who demanded his inheritance early (essentially saying, “I wish you were dead”) and squandered it in reckless living. When he hit rock bottom, he rehearsed a plan: I’ll go home. I’ll be a servant. I’ll work to earn my way back.

But before he could even finish his apology, his father ran to him, robes in hand, ring ready, shoes prepared, and restored him fully as a son.

Not because he earned it.
Not because he had a great plan.
But because he belonged.

That robe? It was a symbol of restoration.
The ring? A symbol of authority and identity.
The shoes? A sign that he was no servant, he was a son.

Grace ran down the road that day, not with judgment, but with joy.

But What About the Older Brother?

The older brother, meanwhile, had his own misconception. “I’ve done everything right,” he told his father. “I’ve obeyed. I’ve never left. And you never gave me a party.”

He couldn’t celebrate grace because he believed righteousness was a reward for obedience. But the truth is, he already had everything the father owned. He just couldn’t see it because he was too focused on performance.

Both sons had a plan. One tried to come back by working. The other tried to earn favor by staying. But both missed the point: The father’s love wasn’t conditional. It was consistent.

Living Clothed in Grace

Here’s the truth:

• You are already accepted in Christ.
• You don’t have to earn the robe. You wear it because you’re His.
• Righteousness isn’t a result of striving, it’s a result of belonging.

So what can we do?

1. Accept that you’re accepted.
   This might sound simple, but it’s one of the hardest things to live. Let the awkwardness of undeserved grace sit on you. Don’t run to make it even. Just say, “Thank you.”
2. Keep your dinner plans.
   When God throws a feast in your honor, don’t sit outside sulking or disqualify yourself with guilt. Go in. Join the celebration. You belong. Not as a servant, but as a son or daughter.
3. Leave your robe on.
   Every day, wake up and clothe yourself in grace. Not shame. Not fear. Not striving. You don’t walk into the world naked, don’t walk into your day without remembering who you are in Christ.

Final Thought

Jesus didn’t give you your keys back so you could keep trying to earn them. He gave them back because He paid for them. Grace may be confusing. It may feel awkward. But it’s real. And it’s yours.

You are already in right standing, not because of what you’ve done, but because of what Jesus has done for you.

And that… is grace.

~Denisha

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