Most of us understand how fairness works. If we do well, we expect a good outcome, and if we fail, we expect consequences. That way of thinking feels natural because it reflects how much of life works. But when we come to Scripture, we’re introduced to something different—something that doesn’t begin with what we’ve earned, but with the heart of God.
In Hebrew, the word chen (חֵן — khen) means grace, favor, or acceptance given freely. It carries the idea of being received with kindness—not because we’ve done enough, but because God chooses to give. It is not transactional. It is relational. It is not about measuring worth, but about extending favor.
One of the first times we see this word is in Genesis:
“But Noah found chen in the eyes of the Lord”
Genesis 6:8
It doesn’t say he achieved it or secured it—it simply says he found it. In the middle of a generation marked by corruption and instability, God’s favor rested on him. That’s the nature of chen. It’s not something we produce through effort; it’s something we encounter because God chooses to draw near.
We see this again with Moses. In Exodus 33:13, he says, “If I have found chen in Your sight, show me now Your ways, that I may know You.” Grace is not distant or abstract—it creates relationship. It opens the way to know God more deeply. Moses does not ask for more proof or more provision; he asks to know God’s ways. That is what grace does—it moves us from simply receiving from God to walking with Him.
This theme continues throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. In Proverbs 3:3–4, we read, “Let not kindness and truth leave you… so you will find favor (chen) and good understanding in the sight of God and man.” Grace is something we receive from God, but it is also something that begins to shape how we live and how we relate to others.
This same thread carries into the New Testament. The Hebrew idea of chen is closely connected to the Greek word charis, often translated as grace. In John 1:14, we read, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us… full of grace and truth.” And a few verses later: “From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1:16).
What we see in the Hebrew Scriptures becomes fully visible in Yeshua. Grace is no longer only spoken about—it is embodied. We see it in the way He receives people without hesitation, in how He restores those who have failed, and in how He moves toward those others would overlook or avoid. He does not wait for people to become worthy—He meets them where they are.
This is what makes chen so powerful. It is not just a concept—it is something we experience. It reaches into places of weakness and does not turn away. It holds steady when circumstances are unsteady. And it reminds us that our relationship with God does not begin with our effort, but with His willingness to receive us.
And then, quietly but clearly, it begins to shape us.
Because chen is not only something we receive—it is something we are called to reflect. To extend kindness without calculating worth. To show patience without demanding perfection. To respond with mercy when it would be easier to withdraw. To make space for others, just as God has made space for us.
In a world that constantly measures, evaluates, and compares, chen moves in a different direction. It gives. It welcomes. It remains. It reflects a heart that is not driven by merit, but by love.
And sometimes, the clearest evidence that we have truly received grace is that we begin to give it.
This is chen — grace that finds you, and grace that flows through you.
Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your grace toward us.
Thank You that You receive us not because we have earned it, but because of Your kindness.
Help us to live in that grace each day, and to extend it to others in the way we speak, respond, and care.
In Yeshua’s name, amen.
Blessings,
Pastor Israel Pochtar
