One website contains eighteen references about grace. I read them all. Stephen received God's full grace (Acts 6:8) Now with that full measure came much responsibility. Yes, he was empowered to perform miracles and healing, but he also accepted the risk of self-sacrifice and was stoned to death. Do I really want God's full grace?
In 2 Peter 1, it is Peter's prayer that believers have "grace in abundance." I concluded that the degree doesn't matter. Whatever little grace I have is enough. Use the gift according to the grace given is doing a lot. And the Christian community and world are the richer for it. So whatever your measure of grace, exercise your gift freely whether it be faith, hope, love, teaching, administration,etc.
Imagine a community of believers who refuse to use their gifts. The world is the poorer for it. The absence of prophecy, teaching, administration, love, exhortation, generosity, mercy. This is abject poverty in the truest sense.
And around the corner or down the block or the next train stop, where a critical mass of residents make the minimum wage or no wage at all, these communities can enjoy a measure of wealth if some people of God reside there and use their gifts to serve the Christian community. What a light that would shine in these communities and growth would follow.
This little light of mine. I have to let let it shine.
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