My friend David posted this as a Facebook status update last week: "I think the Bob Ross ‘painter of happy little clouds and trees’ t-shirt I am wearing should be quite intimidating to the other team when playing volleyball later today.“
I chuckled for many reasons, but one of them is that I have a fond place in my heart for Bob Ross (and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, watch him in action and I guarantee your blood pressure will be lower). I responded to David’s status by writing (in jest), "I want a t-shirt!” And I left it at that.
Yesterday, the doorbell rang, my son ran down to see what it was and there was a package by the door addressed to me. I opened it up and discovered what I’m wearing in the photo. A Bob Ross t-shirt sent by David.
I can’t tell you how tickled I was by this for numerous reasons. First, I was touched that David went to the trouble to do this. Second, it was completely unexpected and I like to be surprised. Third, I know that wearing the t-shirt is going to attract more than a few responses and I must confess that I like that, too. But I also had a fleeting feeling of, “Oh, David shouldn’t have done that” and “What can I do to reciprocate?” I quickly put those questions aside for the moment to simply receive the unexpected gift.
If you ever wonder how to define grace, I think that’s a pretty good way to do it. The love and grace we receive from God isn’t earned. It’s not even deserved. But it comes to us in surprising and joyful ways. Even in the form of a Bob Ross t-shirt.