Holidays always bring with them great opportunities for fun and for challenges. One of the more unique challenges is watching the dynamics of our past relationships change. We can be the parents in the eyes of our children and the child in the eyes of our parents. Truthfully that can sometimes create tensions. It can also be a great blessing. Remembering both of those roles at the same time allows us to exist in both in a better way. I think of that when Paul is writing to Timothy. He talks about being the chief of sinners, but he also talked about being one who had grace flowing over him. Paul was able to balance who he was without Jesus (chief of sinners) and who he was with Jesus (chief of sinners but covered in grace). This balance is what allowed him to speak so clearly and honestly with others. When we get out of balance with those two ideas, it makes challenges in our walk with Christ. If we forget who we were before Christ, then we tend to be hard on people for not meeting our standards. We have little pity, empathy or even care for those who struggle because we have forgotten just how much we have been forgiven. When we forget who we are in Christ, the chief of sinners now covered in grace, we lose our own peace and joy. When we focus just on the chief of sinners part then we live in guilt, shame and fear all due to who we were without Jesus. Keeping both roles in mind keeps us able to walk in the grace of Christ and remember to show that grace to others. So many of the lessons that Jesus taught to His disciples centered around remembering to show grace, mercy and forgiveness. They needed it desperately, and they needed to be able to show it to others desperately. Paul was guilty of persecuting believers and doing many things directly in opposition to God. He understood the chief of sinners part of his life after experiencing the calling and grace of Christ. His understanding of who he was before and after that event allowed him to live in Christ fully and extend that life to others. If we can focus on what Christ has done for us and what we were without him, we can do the same.