pointing fingers and finding praise

i make judgements.

i see others sin and wonder why they seemingly choose to live in it.

why is it okay to see (and more often than not, point out) a specific flaw in another person and completely ignore it when it's present in my own heart?



i think of having my own family one day.
raising my children, instilling in them the love of God's Word and obedience to His commandments.
those kids are going to make mistakes in their lives which i will have no control over.
but it breaks my heart even now to think of the grip sin could have in their life,
and the choices they will make regardless of what i teach them,
regardless of the love i show them. they will decide to sin at some point.

then, the truth glared at me.

that must be exactly how the Lord feels about us.

how much it must anguish Him, to see us choose less than His perfect plan.
He knows the very best and we still do the things He despises, the sins He absolutely hates.
psalm 51 even says that it is against Him and Him alone that we sin.

how dare i use the shortcomings of other people, other brothers and sisters in Christ,
to lessen the wretchedness of my own sin.

the ugly, horrible reality is that every day i can and do decide to tear people down in a futile attempt to climb the ladder of self-righteousness. there's nothing more to say about it, because that's all it is.
i should be building them up, speaking encouragement, praying for them.
that's what i want others to do for me, right?

these thoughts would be overwhelming, and condemning,
if not for a risen Savior,
a Holy Spirit that convicts and comforts,
and a Heavenly Father who draws His children back to Himself.
that is the glorious truth that i cling to.


-b

sufficient.

grace is such a big topic lately amongst "church people", 

and for good reason.

 

nothing I could add to the discussion would be worth much, but let me say this:


you have no understanding or grasp of grace until it is all you have.


until it is the only thing keeping you afloat in an ocean of sin that threatens to swallow you whole, unapologetic in its tossing and crashing and sinking.


people mess up, they makes mistakes they regret.
we all have heard it before, yada yada yada.
but when the rubber meets the road..

mistakes ruin lives. they ruin families, marriages, relationships.
they are real and sin is real and there are consequences that are not pleasant or wanted.

you know what there's more of?

grace.

the kind that not only keeps you afloat, it's a kind that throws the life preserver into the waves when you've fallen off the boat, and pulls you back onto it.

it saves and it's undeserving and so deep.
what's the most amazing thing about grace?

its Giver.


"and He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, 
for  My strength is made perfect in weakness.” 
therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, 
that the power of Christ may rest upon me." 

2 corinthians verse 9.