What is "grace"?

What is "grace"? Who is a picture of grace to you? Someone once mentioned his pastor is a "man of grace". What about you? What about me? Can we describe ourselves that way? Recently I learn to understand "grace" in a new way. Grace is the ability to:

yield and not struggle
complement and not compete
listen and not lecture
forgive and not bear grudge
believe and not judge
forbear and not reject
give thanks and not complain
face up the truth and not escape
keep cool and not erupt
compliment and not criticise

How much grace do we have? Not much for me I am afraid to confess. Is there no hope for us? Surely there must be. Afterall, we have "Christ in us, the hope of glory". Our Lord Jesus Christ has got to be the only man who ever walked the surface of this earth who can truly to be said to be the full embodiment of this virtue. Not only is He full of grace, He is also full of compassion, mercy, righteousness and truth.

Christ is the only supreme example worthy of our emulation. If you don't believe, read the gospels again. My spiritual mentor Sewlyn Hughes wrote this a few times - that the reason why there are 4 and not just 1 gospel is because they help give is a complete picture of Christ. If we are followers of Christ, we ought to know who we follow - how He lived, taught, talked and interacted with others. Just finished reading the gospel of John last week. Seemed to have received a fresh new revelation of Him. Especially impressed with the way He "crossed sword" with the Pharisees in the temple - so full of uprightness and truth yet never lost His cool (even when calling them children of the devil)! Can I be like that when I am quarreling with someone? I wonder...