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by Precarious Yates
When we ask God for His grace, what are we asking for?
1 Peter 4:8-11
[8] Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins. [9] Show hospitality to one another without grumbling. [10] As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace: [11] whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
What a wonderful passage! I want to hone in on a single word here to help shine light on what God is saying to us. The word that is translated “varied” in v. 10 is the Greek word poikilois, which can be translated varied or even multicolored. When you look into a diamond and see all the prismatic radiants in a single glance, this is the word picture that poikilois can create. God has given us grace in this fashion so that we will be precious stones in His sight (see 1 Peter 2:5), and together, we will shine forth all the multitudes of His grace.
The Ancient Greek version of the Psalms has a form of this word in Psalm 45:13, where the bride is described as wearing an interwoven or multicolored robe. This passage is not just describing an ancient wedding, it is describing the Bride of the King talked about in so many of the other verses of this psalm. The New Testament clearly tells us that the King in this Psalm is Jesus. Hardly any passages are quoted more in reference to Jesus throughout the epistles. But it says the Bride wears a multicolored dress here, and in Revelation 19:8, it says that the Bride wears a white linen dress. Which one is it? The passage in 1 Peter gives us the significant clue to this. The white linen dress in Revelation is the righteous acts of the saints. The multicolored grace in 1 Peter (which the corresponding multicolored dress from Psalm 45 demonstrates in word-picture) show us about these acts of righteousness. They exist because of the multifaceted grace we have been given.
But what is that grace for?
This grace is for encouraging others, serving others, blessing others. We do not need to do huge acts of righteousness all the time. If you serve someone in a very small way, God even counts that. These rainbows of grace a interwoven into our own history with God and with one another, and they are interwoven into our future as well. The whole church will be the Bride. We will be champions with Jesus when He returns. The work was finished through Christ’s death on the cross and resurrection, but now He works through us in this multicolored grace to restore people into fellowship with Him and with one another. He is making His Bride dazzling with righteousness because He is radiant and glorious. And it is small acts of service over and over again, small gestures of encouragement, small kindnesses that are evidence of this glorious grace. If we only knew how beautiful we are! Yet He does not want us gazing at ourselves, for that is not the way of love. Let’s turn our gaze to Him as His eyes are fixed on us, and rejoice, for He is beautiful, multifaceted, radiant, and eternally glorious. As He is, so are we in this world (1 John 4:17).
Blessings!
Precarious Yates
About the Author:
Precarious Yates has lived in 8 different states of the Union and 3 different countries, but currently lives in Texas with her husband, her daughter and their big dogs. When she’s not writing, she enjoys music, teaching, playing on jungle gyms, praying and reading. She holds a Masters in the art of making tea and coffee and a PhD in Slinky® disentangling.
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