Everyone is familiar with the big little word “if.” The word “if” is a conjunction introducing a condition with two or more possible outcomes. For example, there is an outcome if we give up on an endeavor or commitment and another outcome if we do not give up—if you do this or that, then there will be a result. Often we are faced with the dilemma in life of making a choice between such outcomes, based on our own personal commitment. If you face a great challenge, how far will you go to overcome it?

An article from LearnReligions.com says, “Pinpointing precisely how many religions there are in the world today is next to impossible, although some estimate the number exceeds 4,000.” What incredible diversity!

But, also, what incredible potential for confusion.

At its core, graciousness is an echo of divine character. When Jesus began His ministry, He declared not only “the gospel of the kingdom of God” (Mark 1:14–15) but also modeled a manner of speech that disarmed hostility and drew out the best in people (John 8:1–11). He chose words not of contempt but of truth and compassion. That same mix of honesty and respect is the very lifeblood of true graciousness.