We often thank the wrong person.
A story about a butcher and a tailor shows us why.
In a town, there lived two important people: a butcher and a tailor.
The butcher was known for his kindness because he often gave away “free” meat to the townspeople.
He was so generous that his fame spread throughout the city.
Meanwhile, the tailor was considered a strange and stingy man. People often mocked him and treated him with hostility.
Then, one day, the tailor died. The entire town was in an uproar because the butcher suddenly stopped giving away any meat.
When the people demanded to know why, the butcher explained that from then on, every piece of meat would need to be paid for. The “free” meat was no more.
The butcher then revealed a secret: it was the tailor who had always paid for every single piece of meat that the butcher had given away.
Echoing Grace
- Matthew 10:8 – “Freely you have received; freely give.”
- Hebrews 13:16 – “Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”
- 1 Corinthians 15:10 – “But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”
Getting saved is not a gift we get to keep just for ourselves.
It’s a gift meant to flow out to others.
Just like the farmer’s kindness inspired the people in his village to take care of him when he was weak, God’s grace moves us to be kind to others in our own way.
The grace we receive from God should be shown in the way we live.
If we keep it locked inside, we go against what it’s meant to be, because grace is like living water—it’s not meant to sit still, but to flow.
The Living Proof
The first Christians were known for being very generous.
The Bible says that “there was not a needy person among them” because people gladly shared what they had. This was so special that even people who weren’t Christians noticed their kindness.
One historian, even though he made fun of Christians, admitted that they “take care of one another” and “give freely.” This kindness from the whole group, which came from Jesus’s command, was a very clear sign that their faith was real. God’s grace changed their lives so that others could see it.
Profound Gems
A wise man named Francis of Assisi said,
“For it is in giving that we receive.”
Another wise woman, Elisabeth Elliot, said,
“The secret is Christ in me, not me in a different set of circumstances.”
The Unkindness Trap
The grace we get must become the grace we live.
If we hold on to kindness and don’t share it, we break the chain of grace.
But if we show kindness to others, we honor the Giver.
Just as the villagers served the farmer, we are called to live our lives in a way that shows we have freely received, and so we freely give.
This isn’t about paying God back, but about letting his love overflow from us, like fruit growing on a tree.
The Unseen Supply
Today, many people are worried about not having enough, which can stop them from being generous with their time, money, or kindness.
Being proud or suspicious can also stop us from helping others.
Grace isn’t just a private comfort; it’s something for the world to see.
To bring back this kindness, we must remember Jesus’s command: “Freely you have received; freely give.”
When we show kindness to others in our own way, the world will once again get a glimpse of God’s grace living among us.
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