A Discount You Don’t Expect — And a Grace You Don’t Earn
I stopped into Goodwill as I often do. I quickly scanned for Corning Ware. It’s a treasure hunt among the shelves. It’s already a place where everything is marked down, everything affordable, everything priced for people who need a break.
The cashier asked whether I had any additional discounts. Specifically, they asked about a senior discount. I was caught off guard. A discount on top of a discount? At Goodwill?
I laughed and declined. Not because I couldn’t use the savings, but because I know the money helps people who need the opportunity. Still, the moment stayed with me. A discount on something already discounted. A kindness on top of a kindness.
And suddenly, Scripture whispered.
“Grace Upon Grace” — Not Stacked Blessings, But Steady Mercy
John wrote that “from His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” This isn’t grace like coupons or bonus points. It is grace in layers.
- The first grace: God gives eternal life through Christ — the undeserved gift that changes everything.
- The second grace: God continues to deal with His children patiently. He does so mercifully and with fatherly understanding. He guides them as they stumble through life.
He doesn’t throw a penalty flag every time someone missteps. He doesn’t eject His children from the game when they drift offside. He doesn’t call a foul every time they trip over their own humanity.
Scripture says:
- He remembers that we are dust.
- A bruised reed He will not break.
- His mercies are new every morning.
This is grace upon grace. Not extra grace, but ongoing grace. It is the steady, patient, fatherly mercy of a God. He knows His children will stumble and still chooses to walk with them.
The Goodwill Lesson Hidden in Plain Sight
Goodwill already offers discounted prices. But then the cashier offered another discount — one that was unexpected and unrequested.
That moment became a reminder of how God deals with His people.
- He saves — that is grace.
- Then He continues to carry, forgive, restore, and patiently grow — that is grace upon grace.
People don’t always expect it. They don’t always think to ask for it. Sometimes they even decline it because they think they should pay their own way.
But God knows their frame. He knows their weaknesses. He knows their missteps before they make them.
And He chooses mercy anyway.
A Closing Thought
I walked out of Goodwill smiling. It was not because I saved money. It was because I was reminded of a God who gives more mercy than I realize. This happens even when I’m already living inside His grace.
Not stacked blessings. Not bonus coupons. Just a Father who refuses to give up on His children.
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