The Barefoot Evangelist

Sometimes I think we’ve convinced ourselves that grace is a rare event. We wait for the big miracle, the dramatic answer, or the life-changing moment. We assume that if God is going to show up, it has to be spectacular. But what if we’ve been looking in the wrong places?

What if grace is far more common than we imagine? What if it arrives in a neighbour who shovels a sidewalk without being asked, a stranger who smiles as you pass, a text from a friend that lands at exactly the right moment, or a quiet evening when your mind finally lets you rest? None of those moments make the evening news, but they have a way of keeping us going.

The world gives us plenty of reasons to notice what is broken. We hear about conflict, disappointment, and division every day. Those things are real, and they deserve our attention. But they are not the whole story. Every single day, people choose kindness. They forgive. They help. They listen. They show up. Grace has a habit of slipping into ordinary moments without asking for applause.

I’ve noticed that the more rushed I become, the easier it is to miss those moments. When my mind is already on the next appointment or the next task, I can walk right past something beautiful without ever seeing it. Grace isn’t necessarily absent. I’m just distracted.

Maybe that’s why paying attention matters, because we’re learning to notice what has been there all along. A blooming flower pushing through cracked pavement. Children laughing at the park. The first sip of coffee. A good conversation. A deep breath after a difficult day. Small things, perhaps – but small things have a way of carrying us.

So this week, instead of asking, “Where is God?” maybe ask, “Where did I notice grace today?” You might be surprised by how many answers you find.

Perhaps that’s the quiet miracle: grace isn’t rare at all. It’s woven into the fabric of ordinary life, waiting for us to slow down long enough to see it.