Grace and mercy are two amazing words that Christians talk about a lot, but do you know the difference between them? They’re both awesome gifts from God, but they work in different ways!

Mercy is when we DON’T get something bad that we DO deserve. For example, if you break a rule but your parents don’t punish you, that’s mercy.

Grace is when we DO get something good that we DON’T deserve. For example, if you break a rule but your parents give you a special treat anyway, that’s grace.

Joseph’s brothers were worried they were going to get in trouble when they returned to Egypt. They thought Joseph (who they didn’t recognize yet) might punish them because they thought they had stolen his silver cup during their last visit. They deserved punishment, so they were hoping for mercy.

But instead of punishment, Joseph threw them a party! He prepared a huge feast to celebrate their return. They were shown mercy (they didn’t get the punishment they deserved) AND grace (they got a wonderful celebration they didn’t deserve).

This is exactly what God does for us! Because of our sin, we deserve punishment (that’s what we earned). But instead, God shows us mercy (He doesn’t punish us) and grace (He gives us eternal life, forgiveness, and so many blessings we don’t deserve).

Think About It: Can you think of times when your parents, teachers, or friends have shown you mercy or grace? How did it make you feel? Now think about how you can show mercy and grace to others. Maybe you could choose not to get someone in trouble when they deserve it (mercy), or maybe you could do something kind for someone who’s been mean to you (grace). When we show mercy and grace to others, we’re acting like God!