Grace is a foreign concept to humans. Our knee-jerk reaction to receiving a gift is to feel indebted to the giver and attempt to even things out, or pay them back in some other way.
I admit to feeling this way too. God has put me into a situation in life in which I've had no choice but to receive gifts of others' time, food, care of my children, care of my home, financial assistance, and more. It has been one of the most difficult things I've faced. By nature I'm fiercely independent. I want to do it all and I want to do it my way. So when I have to accept help, I naturally want to try to pay it back, so as not to feel quite so helpless and indebted to those who have graciously given of themselves. I am certain that this trait is something God is working very hard to purge from my character!
I read a blog written by Tim Challies, Informing the Reforming: A Reformed Christian Blog. He wrote recently about an experience with his son that brought home to him this reality about humans and receiving grace. It's a beautiful story, but it also was a very clear picture of how grace is supposed to work in God's relationship with us.
I realized that the best response to receiving grace is twofold: extend grace to others (which means forgiving, overlooking, and not seeking to exact compensation for wrongs done whether accidental or intended), and enjoy and rejoice in the grace I've been given, both directly from God and through His vessels, without thought of try to pay it back to the giver.
