A few years ago, four-star General Peter Chiarelli (the No. 2 general in the US Army at that time) was mistaken for a waiter by a senior presidential advisor at a formal Washington dinner. As the general stood behind her in his dress uniform, the senior advisor asked him to get her a beverage. She then realized her mistake and the general graciously eased her embarrassment by cheerfully refilling her glass and even inviting her to join his family some time for dinner.
The word gracious comes from the word grace, and it can mean an act of kindness or courtesy, like the general. But it has an even deeper meaning to a follower of Christ. We are recipients of the incredible free and unmerited favor - grace - that God has provided through His Son, Jesus (Eph. 2:8). Because we have received grace, we are to show it in the way we treat others - for example, in the way we speak to them: "Words from the mouth of the wise are gracious" (Eccl. 10:12). Grace in our hearts pours out in our words and deeds (Col. 3:16-17). Learning to extend the grace in our hearts toward others is a by-product of the life of a Spirit-filled follower of Christ Jesus - the greatest of grace-givers. God's grace in the heart brings out good deeds in life.
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