The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly. 1 Timothy 1:14a NIV
Paint, a picture window and rose bushes. All were used by God in a beautiful story of grace.
Brian knows the meaning of this Bible verse: “The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly” (1 Timothy 1:14a NIV). After college, Brian hoped to spend his first semester of seminary in London. He’d painted houses to pay his way through school and was thrilled to land a summer job painting Mr. Livingstone’s large, elegant home. Since he needed every dollar for the trip, he couldn’t afford help. He prayed for God’s help.
All summer Brian painted feverishly. With only two weeks left, he realized he couldn’t finish alone. A well-meaning friend offered to help for free, so Brian set him up with a sprayer on the front of the house while he worked in back. Mid-morning, Brian checked on him—and froze. His friend had oversprayed a giant picture window and Mr. Livingstone’s prized rose bushes.
Brian spent four days scraping paint off the window. Nothing could be done about the roses. Mr. Livingstone was understandably angry, and Brian knew he’d fall short of the funds he needed.
On the final day, Mr. Livingstone handed him an envelope. “Brian,” he said, “I’m paying you for the work you did. Clean up now, and when you return in January, you can finish the job.” Relieved, Brian drove away, then stopped to count the money. To his amazement, the envelope held the exact amount he needed. Brian went to London that semester. When he returned, he learned his father had finished the painting job.
This is God’s lavish grace—poured out with overwhelming generosity and far more than we expect, can earn or deserve.
