In 1989, Bruce Springsteen overheard a woman talking about her financial problems and medical bills. A week later the woman received a check from Springsteen for $100,000.

It was totally unexpected. Rock star Bruce Springsteen stopped in a small salon in Prescott, Arizona, and played a few songs with the band there. That alone must have been a treat for the unsuspecting patrons who happened to be in the salon at the time. But the story doesn’t end here.

While sitting around after playing with the band, Springsteen overheard a woman talking about her financial problems that stemmed from some very large medical bills. A week later, the woman received a check in the mail from Springsteen for $100,000.

Imagine how that woman must have felt, opening the letter and seeing this totally unexpected check: amazed, shocked, surprised? And likely she felt deep gratitude for the generous nature of this gift. The woman did nothing to earn that check. She was merely the recipient of Springsteen’s generosity and compassion. It was a gift.

Imagine. We are the recipients of God’s undeserved favor, grace, on a daily basis. We do nothing to deserve it. In fact, in some instances, we have even turned away from God and are actively disobedient to him. We can do nothing to earn God’s grace, love, or forgiveness. It is a gift.

God’s gift of grace doesn’t depend on how good we are (we aren’t), or on how much time we have spent in study and prayer (although that’s good). It is not given to us because we deserve it. God’s gift is freely given out of the abundance of his love, kindness, and compassion toward all his creatures.

The only thing left for us to do is accept it with thankfulness and praise.

And if they are saved by God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s wonderful kindness would not be what it really is—free and undeserved (Romans 11:6).

To Do

Think about it. How has God shown his undeserved kindness and love to you today? Take time to thank him right now.

Also on this day

Today is National Goose Day and National Pumpkin Day.

1951—The first network football game was televised in color by CBS-TV. The game was between the University of California and the University of Pennsylvania.

1983—”A Chorus Line” became the longest-running show on Broadway.

From Betsy Schmitt and Dave Veerman, 365 Trivia Twist Devotions: An Almanac of Fun Facts and Spiritual Truth for Every Day of the Year (Cincinnati: Standard, 2005). Scripture quotations are from the New Living Translation unless otherwise noted.