Still a sinner

I hate to admit this, but I had a bit of  a critical, judgmental spirit last night in the airport. Yes, again. I have repented of this before, and have had to repent of it once more this morning. 

I was waiting in the boarding gate for my plane. A well-dressed man, who looked to be in his mid-forties, was chatting up a woman who appeared considerably younger. I've seen this kind of "chatting up" before, and had an idea where it might be leading. 

They were both headed toward Memphis, and he was a fast mover. Before we boarded the plane, I heard him ask where she lived. To my surprise, she told him. In case you're wondering, it is not a good idea to meet a man in the airport and give him your address, even if he is the most charming man you've ever seen.

She may not have noticed, but I saw an indention on his left ring finger from where a ring usually rested, and I assumed the worst. 

Off I went with critical, judgmental attitude again.

Of course, the interaction may have been perfectly innocent. He may have removed his ring after his wife died and this might have been the first time he's spoken to a woman since. She might have been the age of his daughter and reminded him of her. Any number of innocent reasons could have triggered the interaction, but I assumed the worst.

This morning, I was reading in Romans, but still thinking about the man, when I came to Romans 2:1.

"Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things." Romans 2:1. nasb

My first impulse was to defend myself before the Lord. (Yes, I know that's foolish.) I'm certainly not doing what that man was doing, I thought. 

Romans 3:23, though, causes me to see the situation in a different light. My sin may not be the same as his sin, but it is still sin. 

"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:23 nasb

In case you're wondering, my sin is no worse (or better) than yours. Our sins are no worse (or better) than the most sinful person we know. God puts gossips in the same group with murderers. (Romans 1:29-30) It's all sin. We've all fallen short of God's standard.

There's good news and bad news.

The bad news first. Because we are sinners, we deserve death and hell.

Every single one of us. The murderers. The coveters. The gossips. The adulterers. On and on and on. We are sin-riddled people, and we deserve the worst punishment our righteous, perfect God can pour out. We do well to keep the truth of our sinfulness ever before us, if for no other reason than to avoid a critical, judgmental attitude.

We are in a desperate state because of our sin and there is nothing we can do to improve it.

There is good news, though. We deserve death, but God offers eternal life through Jesus. 

"For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romans 3:23 nasb

That's pretty clear, isn't it? There's nothing we can do to save ourselves, no matter how hard we try, so God made a way of escape. He's given us a pardon from our death sentence. There's a catch, though. We have to accept this pardon His way.

Only accepting Jesus as Lord can save us from the death penalty of eternal hell.

It would be easier to make a big donation to a worthy cause or do some heroic action, but God will not accept a one-time "good deed". He calls us to a lifelong commitment to His Son, to the Lordship of Jesus.

It seems a severe kind of mercy. 

We give ourselves to Jesus so that we are no longer our own. It doesn't make sense in the me-focused society in which we live, but it's the only way. We accept His gift of redemption and forgiveness and, in return, we also accept His Lordship, His leading, His way. 

As if the pardon from our sin was not enough, God offers more. This leading of Christ is designed to be a blessing to us. Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God has plans for us that are for our good, our welfare, not for evil or for calamity. 

We are all full of sin, but God has made a way of escape, and it is good.

Ponder that today. 

Jesus is all we need, and the plan He has, no matter how hard, will (in the end) be the best thing for us.

Since we, as believers, are no better than the world, let's make sure we communicate that truth to a world in darkness. We are sinners, just as they are. The only difference between us and them is the hope of Christ within us. Neither group deserves that hope, but it's offered freely to all. 

Undeserved, outrageous mercy. Inscrutable grace. Love beyond all measure. Jesus.

"It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all." 1 Timothy 1:15 nasb

#mercyandgrace #sin #savedbygrace #forgiven #disciple #JesusChrist
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In case you missed the most recent posts, here are the links: The Costly Bad Attitude and Going Home. 

The most-read post of the past week: Death is Not the End. 

The Costly Bad Attitude

Last November, I attended a conference in Nashville, Preparing Communities of Refuge, sponsored by CRI. I packed my cutest clothes and far more "stuff" than I needed and headed to Tennessee. 

The information packet they sent mentioned a "new" facility. When I read "new", I expected a building in pristine condition. Something a little like a Holiday Inn. I did not expect an old hospital in the process of being sold for demolition. 

My first hint that things were not as I expected was the non-functional elevator. I usually take the stairs, but not when I'm hauling a suitcase, a backpack, a sleeping bag, pillow, purse and a bag of snacks. 

When I look at the picture of mattresses on the floor now, they don't seem so unusual, but at the time, they shocked me. Four to a room. I would be in a room with three women I'd never met? 

The bathroom left me dumfounded. We had a shower that worked and a toilet that didn't. The commode was wrapped in black plastic and secured with duct tape, the words "Out of order! Do not use!" printed in block letters on the tape. In addition to whatever the black plastic hid, there was a leak. A plastic box was taped to the side of the toilet to catch the water that dripped from the faulty fixture. They weren't planning to repair this?

It was raining outside when I arrived. It was raining in the dining room, too. Large plastic boxes were positioned to catch the water from two leaks in the roof. I was shocked. 

I immediately assumed I knew why the building was in such poor repair. These people must be terrible stewards of what God has given.

My assumptions nearly drove me out the door. I considered leaving, and almost did. God had brought me to this? It seemed unthinkable.

My critical, judgmental attitude nearly cost me one of the most life-changing blessings I've ever had.

The next day I learned that the ministry was a guest in the building. The conditions were "rough" because no repairs were being done in anticipation of demolition. The ministry wasn't being a poor steward of resources. They were embracing an opportunity God had given. 

Nothing was as I assumed.

As I think back on that day and the critical judgmental attitude that nearly robbed me of an experience I will never forget, I wonder what that same attitude has cost me in the past. 

What have false assumptions and inaccurate judgments cost me? How often have I walked away from a blessing in disguise because I didn't like the packaging?

Not every gift comes wrapped in a shiny paper and a sparkly bow. Some gifts from God come with leaky toilets, dripping roofs, non-functional heating systems. 

When difficult situations cause us to see our heart as God sees it, they are nothing short of gifts from above.

It was twenty degrees in Nashville that week. It wasn't much warmer inside than out, and I carried my sleeping bag around like a spare jacket, wrapped myself in it when we sat down. It was cold. Very cold. I look back at that time now, though, and remember the cold and the army green sleeping bag with fondness. 

They were gifts from God because He used them to show me my heart and change me to be more like Him. 

Are there difficulties or unpleasant circumstances in your life? How is God using them to make you more Christlike? What is He showing you, teaching you through those circumstances?

Instead of jumping to conclusions or running for cover, let's ask God to reveal His will and His ways through the difficulties He sends our way.

If we allow Him to transform us, those difficulties can become some of the most precious memories of our lives.

"'I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord, 'plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.'" Jeremiah 29:11 nasb
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#disciple #badattitude