Connections of Grace

photo 1106455 : pxhere

He came home one afternoon and burst into tears.

Something had happened in school. A mentoring teacher had shouted at him for no clear reason. He had simply approached her, as he always did, to let her know it was time to go home. It was part of his regular dismissal routine. Yet her reaction was unexpectedly harsh and hurt him deeply.

And he held the hurt in until he reached the safety of home.

As he shared his story through sobs, it became clear he had done nothing to deserve that kind of response. However, instead of reacting with anger at the teacher, or offering words of comfort, I paused. We sat together with the pain. We did not rush to fix it. In that moment, I saw a glimpse of something sacred: the first connection of grace — a safe place to bring our brokenness.

I reminded him gently: when people respond harshly or unfairly, it does not mean we are less worthy. Sometimes their reaction is shaped by their own stresses, biases, or blind spots. What matters is this: if we have done what is right, we can stand firm, not in pride, but in peace. Our identity is not in how others see us, but in how God does.

As we talked, I watched something shift in him. His breathing steadied. His shoulders relaxed. His confidence began to return — not because the situation had changed, but because grace had entered.

That evening, another teacher sent me a message about an unrelated matter. In the note, she wrote: "He is a responsible boy who I can trust to do the right thing."

I showed the note to him and said, “This is how God sees you too.”

That was the second connection of grace — God’s quiet affirmation through someone else’s words.

“For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does He withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” – Psalm 84:11

The next day, the school supervisor arranged a conversation between the mentoring teacher, my son and herself. I was not in the room. But later, I was told that he listened with maturity, expressed his feelings with clarity and responded to the teacher’s sincere apology with a hug.

That moment ended in reconciliation — from all sides. And that was the third connection of grace — the healing that flows when humility meets honesty.

Growth is formed through a series of grace-filled connections — between people, between moments and with God:

This was not just about a child learning resilience. It was a deeper reminder that growth happens not in isolation, but through a series of divine and human connections where grace is both given and received. No matter our age or season in life, we are all still growing — and grace is the thread that ties those growth moments together.

Here are three reflections to carry with us:

🔹 Grace connects us in our weakness

Whether we are eight or eighty, we all need spaces where we can be vulnerable without judgment. Real growth begins when we are allowed to fall apart — and then gently reminded of who we are in Christ. 

🔹 Grace connects us across generations

In this story, both a child and an adult experienced growth. The teacher’s humility to apologize and the child’s choice to forgive created a sacred bridge. Growth often looks like two people meeting in the middle, with grace as their guide.

🔹 Grace connects us back to God

Affirmation came not just through comfort, but through Scripture, through others God has placed in our lives, and through the inner whispering of the Spirit. Every time we remember God’s truth over our circumstances, we reconnect with the One who never withholds good from us.

A final thought

We often expect growth to be dramatic or grand. But more often, it is a connection of many quiet moments that Grace lovingly threads together. It happens in ordinary conversations, tearful prayers, surprising apologies and unexpected encouragement. These are the connections of grace — the places where God connects with us; and through them, He heals, grows and matures us, and slowly forms us into wholeness and enables us to really live.

*Incident based on a true story. Names removed to protect identities of individuals involved.

Jessica is a mum to two boys. She is learning to slow down and notice how every situation is an opportunity to connect her parenting journey to the Grace of God and growth. She hopes this sharing will serve to help our TRL friends in their journeys To Really Live.