“As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.’” Romans 3:10-12 (NIV)

“Didn’t you see the van trunk was still open?” I yelled in exasperation.

We had just returned home from the store. Our minivan was parked inside the garage with the trunk open and groceries inside. As my daughter brought in the last bag, she hit the button to close the garage door … but the van trunk was still open.

BAM! The garage door hit the trunk.

I ran to see if there was any damage. A long scratch marred the vehicle, but that scratch had been caused years ago by my son who did the exact same thing!

Scolding my daughter sternly, I told her to always look first to make sure the coast is clear before shutting the garage door.

The very next day, I was in a hurry to pick up my daughter from school. I put our dog in the minivan and jumped in. Instead of hitting the button to open the garage door, I hit the button to open the trunk! The trunk banged against the closed garage door, and I shuddered in disbelief. Here I was, just one day later, making the same mistake as my daughter — but in reverse.

I told my daughter in vivid detail about my carelessness and how moms make mistakes too. I wanted her to know she wasn’t the only one who messed up. As much as we may hate to admit it, we all make mistakes.

It can be very comforting to hear the words, “I do that too.”

No one is perfect. Today’s key verse says, “As it is written, ‘There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one’” (Romans 3:10-12).

The Apostle Paul was reminding the religious Jews that no one has hope apart from God. Not even the most moral person on the planet can earn righteous standing in God’s eyes based on behavior. All humanity is incapable of doing what is right without God’s help.

Not one of us can claim to be sinless and blameless, exuding self-righteousness over others.

Let’s remember this principle the next time someone around us makes a mistake or does something careless. Before we yell at someone for his or her incompetence, let’s remember that we blow it too.

Thankfully, God never leaves us in a hopeless, sinful state.

Romans 3:24-25 says that we “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins” (ESV).

Because of His lavish love toward us, we can be quick to extend grace to others in a spirit of humility. So, the next time your child, spouse, sister or co-worker does something careless, you might surprise them and say something like, “You know, I do that too.”

Dear Jesus, thank You for paying the price for my sin on the cross. I receive Your gift of forgiveness by faith, and I ask for Your help to extend grace to the people around me. Help me not to boast in my own righteousness, but to boast in Yours. May I be known by my kindness and forbearance, especially to those closest to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY

Psalm 14:2-3, “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” (NIV)

Ecclesiastes 7:20, “Indeed, there is no one on earth who is righteous, no one who does what is right and never sins.” (NIV)

RELATED RESOURCES

She is brave. She is kind. She is selfless. She is steady. Take time to remind Mom, and the other women in your life, just how much they mean to you with intentional gifts hand-picked just for them. Shop our Spring Celebrations Collection.

CONNECT

Maybe you’ve spoken harshly to someone about past mistakes they made. It’s never too late for a sincere apology. Visit Arlene Pellicane’s website for a few ideas on what to include in an apology based on her book (co-authored with The 5 Love Languages author Dr. Gary Chapman), Growing Up Social: Raising Relational Kids in a Screen-Driven World.

REFLECT AND RESPOND

When have you struggled with being too tough on others? Are you easily disappointed by your family, friends or co-workers? How can you extend grace today? Share your ideas in the comments section!

Take a moment to read today’s key verse slowly. Remind yourself that we are all in need of God’s grace; there is not one who is righteous. May an attitude of grace prevail the next time someone around you falls short.

© 2019 by Arlene Pellicane. All rights reserved.