"What is grace?" I often ask myself this question. Last week, as my family gathered to celebrate my grandmother's 84th birthday, I found the answer looking around the room.
My grandmother has five children—three daughters and two sons. Sitting around the dining table, I realized the profound impact of her Christian faith. While my two uncles have not yet accepted the faith, her three daughters—my mother and my aunts—and most of their children are devout Christians. We are a family united not just by blood, but by a shared hope in Christ.
It all started with her.
My grandmother is not a preacher. She has never held a formal position in the church, nor has she ever stood behind a pulpit. She was simply the first in our family to believe in Jesus.
Her evangelism method was not loud argumentation but quiet perseverance. Through her influence, my eldest aunt accepted Christ. Then my mother, followed by my father, and then my youngest aunt. Even my grandfather, who was initially the most opposed to her faith, eventually accepted the Lord before he passed away.
At 84, her routine remains unchanged. She wakes up at 5:00 a.m. every morning to pray. Though her memory is fading and reading the Bible has become a struggle, she persists. Her daily prayer is simple yet profound: "Lord, please save the descendants You have given me."
To me, the true inheritance she leaves us is the example of a life lived out for God.
Many times, when she heard of a church family facing financial difficulties. She would quietly pull out a small roll of cash—perhaps 200 or 300 yuan—and ask us to deliver it to them. The amount was small and couldn't solve all their real-world problems, but her actions were like seeds planted in our young hearts.
Recently, I had a tenant who agreed to rent our house, paid the deposit, and signed the contract, only to back out the next day. I was furious and refused to return the deposit, feeling justified by the contract.
When my grandmother heard this, she didn't side with my anger. Instead, she gently quoted Scripture: "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy." She told me, "What you lack, God will provide. Do not hold onto this."
Reluctantly, I listened to her and returned the money.
The Apostle Paul once wrote to Timothy, "I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also." (2 Timothy 1:5)
I see this biblical pattern alive in my own home. In a society where many families are torn apart by disputes over money or inheritance, our family remains close-knit. My mother often recalls how, during our hardest times, my aunts would step in to help without hesitation.
As we said grace over her birthday meal, I realized that this is the true definition of grace: A family steered away from worldly competition and grounded in eternal hope, all because one woman decided to follow Jesus and pray for her children.
Originally published by the Christian Times
- Edited by Katherine Guo
