When Grace Makes Space: A Reflection on Romans 12 and the Sound of Mercy

Lately, I’ve been reading The Sound of Life’s Unspeakable Beauty by Martin Schleske,  I say lately but it’s so rich I’ve been reading it in deep contemplation for about 2 years or so, and there was a passage that stopped me in my tracks. It didn’t just inspire me—it convicted me, stirred something deep, and aligned with everything I want to live and lead others into.

Here’s what he wrote:

“Grace creates space for life above and beyond our own accomplishments and abilities, our frustrations and failures. In our own dissatisfaction, we judge each other, cramp our neighbor, and find ourselves in narrow, hardened relationships. Those who judge this way have not understood the essence of Christ, and the spirit of Christ is not in them. We should ask how we can give each other room so that—in spite of all of our annoying weaknesses—the good in us can find expression. If we bury what is good in others under criticism, we have lost our eyes of mercy. We offend God and rob each other of the grace that He has promised.”

Whew. Read that again.

I sat with those words for a while, not as something beautiful to admire, but as something I needed to bring before the Cross. And what I found is that this isn’t just poetic writing—it’s deeply biblical. It’s Romans 12 in living color.

Grace Isn’t Sentimental—It’s Scriptural

Romans 12 begins like this:

“I appeal to you, therefore, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice…”

Everything that follows flows from that one phrase: the mercies of God. In other words, because of what Christ has done—because of the grace we’ve received—we now get to live differently. More spaciously. More mercifully.

Paul goes on to say things like:

• “Outdo one another in showing honor.”

• “Live in harmony with one another.”

• “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”

This isn’t about nice behavior. It’s about gospel transformation. When we live by grace, we stop keeping score. We stop narrowing people to their faults. We stop letting our own dissatisfaction spill over into judgment and criticism. We become people who make room—for growth, for goodness, for redemption.

The Mirror We Don’t Always Want

Schleske’s quote was a mirror I didn’t know I needed. It exposed how easy it is to slip into cramped, hardened relationships when I lose sight of the mercy I’ve received. It reminded me that when I withhold grace, I’m not just hurting the person in front of me—I’m dishonoring the God who has been so patient with me.

And I wonder… how often do we bury what is good in someone else under a pile of frustration?

How often do we let annoyance blind us to someone’s growth?

How often do we rob someone of grace, when we were called to reflect it?

For the Leader, the Parent, the Christ-Follower

If you’re someone who coaches others, leads a team, parents a teenager, or just wants to live with purpose—you need this truth as much as I do:

Grace creates room for people to become.

Not to perform. Not to prove. Not to impress. But to become.

That means I don’t have to micromanage someone into growth. I don’t have to critique them into holiness. I get to be a wide-open space of mercy, just like God has been for me.

The Cross Makes It Possible

The Cross of Christ is not just the place we were forgiven—it’s the place we were invited to forgive. It’s not just where we received grace—it’s where we were commissioned to extend it.

If Romans 12 is a blueprint for Christian living, then books like The Sound of Life’s Unspeakable Beauty help us see the contours of that blueprint in color, texture, and life. They don’t replace the Word—they help us live it.

So today, maybe we start here:

• Ask God to soften our eyes of mercy.

• Ask where we’ve been quick to judge and slow to honor.

• And most of all, ask how we can create space for the good in others—so that in spite of all our annoying weaknesses, grace still has the final word.

Reflection

• Who in your life needs you to create more room for grace?

• Are there places you’ve become cramped or hardened in your relationships?

• How would your home, your team, or your friendships change if you practiced outdoing one another in showing honor?

If this resonated with you, I’d love to hear how. And if you’re someone navigating the tension between high standards and deep grace—I see you. That’s the work. And it’s worth doing well.

Let’s keep building a life, a family, and a culture where grace gets the final word.