“Extra Grace Required”
My Dear People,
Somewhere in her memoirs, Anne Lamott talks about those special people in all our lives who seem to know exactly how "to push our buttons."
We might think of them as "trying our patience," and perhaps they do so often. (Are faces already leaping to mind?!) Well, with that characteristically sassy wit of hers, Lamott assigns these "special" people to a category she designates "EGR," short for "Extra Grace Required."
I first came across Lamott's "EGR" several years ago and haven't been able to forget it. For one thing, we've got to be able to laugh (particularly at our own hang-up's, pet peeves, etc.), and all the more so when there is any risk that we might take ourselves too seriously. Having said that, here follow a couple of reflections on "EGR" that might go beyond witty relief:
1) The "extra grace required," who is it really for? Which is to say, does the presence of these people in our lives highlight, not so much their need for extra grace, but, perhaps ironically, our own? Jesus' trusty ol' speck and plank come to mind (Luke 6:42).
And, 2) While Jane or Bob or Sue may fall into the "EGR" line-up of our lives, needless to say, surely at times we show up on the "EGR" roster for others.
Of course, in truth, we can all use as much of God's grace as we can get.
And, indeed, we give endless thanks for a God who never tires of sharing that grace with us.
Your brother in Christ,
Wallace+
