There are many helpful ways to define the word grace. I grew up reciting, “Grace is undeserved love.” Others have suggested that grace is an acronym—GRACE—which stands for “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” If I could add to those helpful definitions, I would propose that grace is love that makes you say, “No way!”

Jesus chose Matthew, a Jewish sellout who worked for Rome just to fill his pockets? No way! Jesus chose Mary Magdalene, once possessed by seven demons (imagine her past profile pictures!) to be the first witness of his resurrection? No way! Jesus chose Peter, a Galilean verbal processor who spoke before he thought or prayed? No way! Jesus chose Paul, a violent, obsessed, ignorant murderer of the church to be on the leadership team of Christianity? No way! But, as you may know, that’s exactly what Jesus did, because he is a Savior who is full of grace.

For you too. Christianity is not an Ivy League religion but one for killers and critical people, tax collectors and troublemakers, prostitutes and people who’ve slept around, for sex offenders and bulldozer moms. This faith doesn’t give people a second chance to get things right but instead declares at the cross that we are God’s own, once and for all. Jesus chooses people like us to be holy, blameless, and pure in the sight of God, and he died and rose to get the job done.

Logic would object—No way! But Jesus smiles and says, “Yes way. That’s grace.”