Day Twenty-Five: Don't Forget Where You Came From

If the part of the dough offered as first fruits is holy, then the whole batch is holy; if the root is holy, so are the branches. If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root, do not consider yourself to be superior to those other branches. If you do, consider this: You do not support the root, but the root supports you. 19 You will say then, “Branches were broken off so that I could be grafted in.” Granted. But they were broken off because of unbelief, and you stand by faith. Do not be arrogant, but tremble. For if God did not spare the natural branches, he will not spare you either.
 
Roots, as we have seen throughout this series, have to be strong because everything that comes from it can be healthy, too. This is an obvious reference to God’s mercy and that salvation is offered to all of us because of Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross that has made us worthy to be a part of God’s family. But so often we forget where we come from We forget to extend grace to others because we think we are superior to them, snubbing our noses and looking down on those who have ever experienced God’s love yet. But our arrogance makes us just as guilty in the yes of the Lord as those who are unbelievers. Branches are where the fruit ripens and grows. We need to be firmly rooted in Christ for our branches to bear the fruit that not only benefits us but others as well.
 
One of the ways we remain rooted in Christ is through humility.  Arrogance and pride crowd out the fruits of the spirit that want to take root in our hearts. We all once we branches ready to be cut off from God, if not for his mercy and grace extended to us. As we extend mercy and grace to the world, let us never forget where we came from.
 
To whom do you need to extend grace and mercy?