When I was about 10, I had to sell candy bars to help raise money for the cub scouts. As I left my house to go door to door, I had an amazing idea. I would drop the candy bars near the houses and sidewalks so people wouldn't have to buy them. You know, Bob comes out to get the morning paper and discovers an extra delivery. Shirley hears a knock on her door and finds two Milky Ways on her welcome mat, "Praise God."
Part of me felt that it was a good thing to do, but another part knew it wasn't right. I went with the part that thought it was good. Later that evening, we got a couple phone calls from neighbors wondering why there were candy bars scattered all over the place. Needless to say, my parents had me in a room with three chairs, a small table, and a dangling light in a matter of minutes. It didn't take long 'til I ended up confessing that I did it on purpose and not by accident like I'd originally pled. Of course, I had to pay for every one that wasn't recovered. For a ten-year-old, that's a lot of sugar, if you know what I mean.
Sin is always wrapped in something sweet, isn't it? But as many of us know and have found out, the center isn't soft, marshmallowy goodness. Instead, there's a barbed hook just waiting to cut and tear the one that's biting into it. It's not just the one that sins that feels the pain though, because while the hook is lodged in, it affects what God is trying to do through that person. Sin disables.
I know what you're thinking. Comparing a ten-year-old boy giving out some candy to barbed hooks lodging into us seems extreme. Maybe it is. But maybe these seemingly harmless mess-ups are where it all begins. Maybe this is the very reason we keep going for them. We keep thinking and telling ourselves it's not a big deal. What and who is it really going to hurt? It's in these moments that we believe the lie that we know more, that we know what's best.
How serious do you take sin? How do you approach it, react to it, recover from it? What are some of the thoughts that come through the process of dealing with it personally? I think we need to make sure that we're getting closer to viewing sin as God views it. We need to make sure we're not taking grace and forgiveness for granted - that we're not taking the money without really reading the card.
What are you constantly chasing, sinking your teeth into? Is there something that you're doing that you know just isn't right, but since the neighbors aren't calling, you're not changing your plea? What are you watching and looking at when no one's looking or watching you? What are you saying about those who aren't around to hear it? What are you thinking about when your mind wanders? Maybe it's time to come clean. Maybe it's time for you to blow the whistle on yourself, set up the chairs, switch on the light, and change your original story.
We need to ask ourselves what takes us so long to reveal our hook. Why do we hide it, ignore it, and justify it? Why do we think we can keep going like we've done nothing wrong - like it's not affecting us? These aren't questions that we should answer quickly. These are questions we need to bring before God - the same God who despises sin so much that He can't even look at it, and yet allowed his very own Son to become it. This is where we need to find ourselves: humbly coming before the cross, laying down our sin, and believing that Jesus is able to remove it. Like a fisherman who from time to time enjoys the simple art of catching and releasing, we find Jesus removing hooks, mending the wounds and releasing us to go and sin no more.
Please, be caught so that you can be released. Go back to the hands that created you so that you can be healed again. As you go, find others that will help you steer clear of the temptation to drop a few candy bars.
Romans 2:4
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
Part of me felt that it was a good thing to do, but another part knew it wasn't right. I went with the part that thought it was good. Later that evening, we got a couple phone calls from neighbors wondering why there were candy bars scattered all over the place. Needless to say, my parents had me in a room with three chairs, a small table, and a dangling light in a matter of minutes. It didn't take long 'til I ended up confessing that I did it on purpose and not by accident like I'd originally pled. Of course, I had to pay for every one that wasn't recovered. For a ten-year-old, that's a lot of sugar, if you know what I mean.
Sin is always wrapped in something sweet, isn't it? But as many of us know and have found out, the center isn't soft, marshmallowy goodness. Instead, there's a barbed hook just waiting to cut and tear the one that's biting into it. It's not just the one that sins that feels the pain though, because while the hook is lodged in, it affects what God is trying to do through that person. Sin disables.
I know what you're thinking. Comparing a ten-year-old boy giving out some candy to barbed hooks lodging into us seems extreme. Maybe it is. But maybe these seemingly harmless mess-ups are where it all begins. Maybe this is the very reason we keep going for them. We keep thinking and telling ourselves it's not a big deal. What and who is it really going to hurt? It's in these moments that we believe the lie that we know more, that we know what's best.
How serious do you take sin? How do you approach it, react to it, recover from it? What are some of the thoughts that come through the process of dealing with it personally? I think we need to make sure that we're getting closer to viewing sin as God views it. We need to make sure we're not taking grace and forgiveness for granted - that we're not taking the money without really reading the card.
What are you constantly chasing, sinking your teeth into? Is there something that you're doing that you know just isn't right, but since the neighbors aren't calling, you're not changing your plea? What are you watching and looking at when no one's looking or watching you? What are you saying about those who aren't around to hear it? What are you thinking about when your mind wanders? Maybe it's time to come clean. Maybe it's time for you to blow the whistle on yourself, set up the chairs, switch on the light, and change your original story.
We need to ask ourselves what takes us so long to reveal our hook. Why do we hide it, ignore it, and justify it? Why do we think we can keep going like we've done nothing wrong - like it's not affecting us? These aren't questions that we should answer quickly. These are questions we need to bring before God - the same God who despises sin so much that He can't even look at it, and yet allowed his very own Son to become it. This is where we need to find ourselves: humbly coming before the cross, laying down our sin, and believing that Jesus is able to remove it. Like a fisherman who from time to time enjoys the simple art of catching and releasing, we find Jesus removing hooks, mending the wounds and releasing us to go and sin no more.
Please, be caught so that you can be released. Go back to the hands that created you so that you can be healed again. As you go, find others that will help you steer clear of the temptation to drop a few candy bars.
Romans 2:4
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
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