Evidences of Grace

I was reading this morning in 2 Kings, and also in Romans 11, and Paul was talking about a moment in the prophet Elijah’s life when he was heartbroken because he couldn’t see any men standing up for God in his nation. (Like how I am sometimes). Check out the verse:

“Or do you not know what the Scripture says in the passage about Elijah, how he pleads with God against Israel? "Lord, THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE." But what is the divine response to him? "I HAVE KEPT for Myself SEVEN THOUSAND MEN WHO HAVE NOT BOWED THE KNEE TO BAAL." In the same way then, there has also come to be at the present time a remnant according to God's gracious choice. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”

This verse gave me the encouragement that there is righteousness in people that I don’t have eyes of faith to see yet. In this passage, Elijah was not aware of even one man who was righteous, and yet God had preserved seven thousand! This inspires me to look for evidences of grace in people instead of sin. Any person can see the sin in people and talk about their problems. What a responsibility we have Christians to walk by faith and not by sight, training ourselves to see who this person was created to be and who they still could become through the grace of God.
And if we can see what God sees in them, we can encourage them to become who God desires for them to be. This verse on the role of an encourager inspires me, and I'll end with it. Notice in it what roles God plays, and what role the encourager has as you read:

The Lord God has given me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens me morning by morning, He awakens my ear to listen as a disciple. The Lord God has opened my ear; and I was not disobedient nor did I turn back.
Isaiah 50: 4-5