Grace is always a choice—when God extends it to us, or when we extend it to each other. The decision to forgive, to not hold someone’s sins like death shrouds up against them, is always made in light of other options. No one can require God to love us unconditionally and forgive us unreservedly, for we are the broken, foolish ones who willfully transgressed His law. And when the broken, foolish people around us disappoint or damage us, grace is a choice we make in echo of God’s kindness. Only wounded hearts can offer forgiveness: only those with power to mete out penalties and vengeance can pour out grace instead. We are never more like Jesus than when we gift to those who injure us what neither they nor we deserve. So stay in grace. -Bill Knott