Grace, Not Grit…Salvation is God’s Gift
Today’s Scripture
Acts 15:1–2
“Some men came down from Judea and began teaching the brethren, ‘Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.’ And when Paul and Barnabas had great dissension and debate with them, the brethren determined that Paul and Barnabas and some others of them should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders concerning this issue.”
Cowboy Wisdom
There’s an old cowboy saying: “You can’t earn a sunrise — it just shows up every morning whether you deserve it or not.” That’s about the best picture of grace you’ll ever find. Every rancher, trail hand, and fence rider who ever watched the sky turn orange over the plains knows they didn’t do a thing to make it happen. It was a gift, plain and simple. And yet, there’s always some fella who starts believing the sun came up because he set his alarm and got out of bed on time.
In Acts 15, some religious folks rode all the way from Judea to tell new believers they weren’t really saved unless they followed a list of man-made rules. These dudes hadn’t done the hard work of winning the Gentiles to Christ — Peter, Paul, and Barnabas had sweat and bled for that. But the legalists sure were quick to ride in and tell the new converts what else they needed to do to “qualify.” It’s the same spirit we still see today. Years ago, churches taught that if a woman cut her hair, she couldn’t be a Christian. Women would stack their hair so high it was a wonder they could get through the church doors. The taller the stack, the more spiritual they were. But a woman can let her hair grow to the ceiling, wear a dress down to her ankles, and still die and go to hell.
That’s because salvation is offered by God, not earned by man. Man says, “Do this or do that.” But God says, “It’s already been done.” Out on the range, everything that really matters is given to you — the air in your lungs, the ground under your boots, the stars that guide you home. You didn’t build any of it. Grace works the same way. God didn’t ask you to qualify. He just asked you to receive.
So quit trying to polish your boots bright enough to impress the Almighty. He’s not looking at your shine. He’s looking at your heart — and He already paid the price to make it new. You can polish your boots all day long, but it won’t make you a cowboy. It’s the ride that proves who you are, not the shine.
“You can polish your boots all day long, but it won’t make you a cowboy. It’s the ride that proves who you are, not the shine.”
Questions for Reflection
Have you ever felt like you had to “earn” your salvation through good works, appearance, or following certain rules? What did that feel like?
What “lists” have you encountered — spoken or unspoken — that people have added to the gospel? How do they compare to what Scripture actually says?
How does understanding grace as a free gift change the way you approach your relationship with God today?
Prayer Focus
Lord, thank You that salvation is Your gift, not my achievement. Forgive me for the times I’ve tried to earn what You’ve already freely given. Help me to rest in Your grace and not add burdens to Your simple, beautiful gospel — for myself or for others. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
