I’m not happy with a lot of things that Mr Trump is reported to have said recently.  Calling Kamala Harris a ‘far-left bum’ would be a prime example, but that’s pretty tame compared to “crazy”, “nuts” and “dumb as a rock’.

I was more than disappointed by his claim that she doesn’t like Jewish people though. I was puzzled because she is married to a Jew, and one well-known Jewish newspaper has acknowledged that she has been surrounded by Jews throughout the course of her life. And if that’s not enough it seems that her husband has taken a leading role in combating antisemitism!  I guess we shouldn’t be surprised by anything this ex -President says though. After all this is the man who has claimed that his Democratic opponent has recently ‘turned black’ 

His reported comments on abortion are more than puzzling however, they are disturbing because they suggest that if she had her way ‘they will have a federal law for abortion, to rip the baby out of the womb in the eighth, ninth month and even after birth - execute the baby after birth,” Now Kamala Harris and I would obviously differ on our approach to abortion but emotional hyperbole like this doesn’t strengthen our case, it actually weakens it.

Having said this, I can only applaud what he said when he accepted the Republican nomination “I stand before you in this arena, only by the grace of Almighty God”.  He was clearly referring to the attempt on his life but in doing so he said something we should all remember.

‘Grace’ is infinitely more than a simple prayer before a meal. One much loved author has gone so far as to suggest that it should be treated as the last best word’. Every English use of it he says, ‘retains some of the glory of the original’ (Yancey: What’s So Amazing About Grace?). Another well-known theologian believes ‘grace’ is ‘the key that unlocks the New Testament’.

So, what is grace? Put simply it is God’s undeserved favour to the undeserving. Grace speaks of gifts and not rewards. We see this supremely demonstrated in and through the life and death of Jesus, when God took the initiative to restore us to our former glory even though we have done nothing to deserve it. It’s for this reason the New Testament teaches us that Christians are saved by grace through faith. 

We do not have to earn His loving acceptance then, but that doesn’t mean we should be prepared to trade on His grace either. In fact, those who are most thankful for His grace feel compelled to live ‘gracefully’, that is to behave in ways that please Him.

Kamala Harris seems to be aware of this because she has said that she recognises that "faith" is a verb and that we must live it, and show it, in action.”

As I see it then, those who really understand God’s grace will guard the way they talk, they will be honest, and they will be gracious in the way they talk to and about each other. They will want to bless not curse, and they will do all they can to treat others as they would like God to treat them.

That’s a daunting challenge but it’s not just for aspiring presidents. It’s one we should all accept.