The Grace we See in Another

When Paul sat down to write to the church in Colossae, I wonder if he pictured the faces behind the names.

Perhaps he remembered someone who had opened their home, someone whose questions showed that the good news of Jesus was taking root, or someone who prayed faithfully when no one else could see. Maybe he thought of a friend whose kindness had strengthened him, whose courage had encouraged him, or whose laughter had brought a little light into a difficult day.

We don’t know the particular memories Paul carried. But we do know what filled his heart: gratitude for the people God had gathered into this young church.

He writes, “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you” because of their faith in Christ and their love for one another—faith and love springing from the hope they had heard in the gospel (Colossians 1:3–5).

Paul’s gratitude was rooted in what God was doing in them. He saw people trusting Jesus, loving one another, and holding on to the hope of the gospel. Those weren’t abstract ideas. They were visible in the lives of the people around him.

Faith has a way of encouraging faith. When we see someone trust Christ in a difficult season, serve when it would be easier to step back, or keep praying when the answer hasn’t come, we remember that we can keep trusting, too.

Love makes the hope of Jesus tangible. It shows up in patience, hospitality, honesty, generosity, forgiveness, and the quiet decision to keep showing up for one another. Some of the most important things people do for us may never appear in a story worth publishing. They happen in a listening ear, a thoughtful message, a meal shared, or a prayer offered at just the right time.

And hope lifts our eyes. It reminds us that our lives are held by something deeper than the circumstances of a single day. In Christ, hope is not wishful thinking. It is confidence in the goodness of God and the future he has promised.

As our country pauses to give thanks this week, it may be worth pausing to thank God for the people he has placed around us. Who has inspired your faith? Whose love has encouraged you? Whose hope has helped you see beyond the present moment?
If someone comes to mind, tell them. Let them know what their faith, love, or hope has meant to you. Gratitude becomes a gift when we give it voice.

This year, I am especially grateful for the faith, hope, and love others extend. And I am grateful that, whatever comes, these three remain among those who are in Christ—not because we always feel strong, but because God remains faithful.

So give thanks for the people around you. Thank God for what he is growing in them. And take a moment to tell them: Your faith has encouraged me. Your love has strengthened me. Your hope has helped lift my eyes.

Gratitude matters. It helps us notice the grace of God at work in one another—and reminds us that we are not meant to follow Jesus alone.