Good people make bad decisions. Christian people make wrong choices. Saved people sin. These are some facts that, no matter how you try to make it otherwise, just are true. If you are thinking right now, "I'm saved and I don't sin", then I want you to think about what went through your mind the last time someone pulled out in front of you on the highway or turned off without using a blinker. I'm sure you thought, "that is perfectly fine, I don't mind if I'm involved in an accident today." I'm guessing you laughed and thought "Hardly." So let's just go with the fact that we all have sinned, made bad decisions, and wrong choices.
I think the hardest thing for most parents is to not be able to protect a child from hurt or harm. And to keep them from making bad decisions. But, no matter how hard we try, we can't always protect them. We can't keep them from bad choices. And we would like to think we would not get into that type of predicament either. However, it doesn't matter the age of your child or even yourself. Whether you are 7, 17, or 57 you are still at risk of being in a situation of your own making that is not what you planned. So, now what?
Now is where we ask for forgiveness. From God and from those we have hurt in the process. If you are not the one in the wrong, but the one who was "wronged" then you are the one who has to forgive. And love. I remember times when I wouldn't have blamed my momma if she had locked me in my room until I was 21. But she never did. She always forgave and she never stopped loving. And there have been times when I could have disowned a child. But I didn't. If anything, I had to love them more to make sure they knew that even though I was heartbroken, I still loved them.
Remember there are no big sins and little sins; just sins. It doesn't matter if the bad decision led to an arrest, an unplanned pregnancy, a failing grade or whatever. Once the decision, the choice, has been made, there is no going back. We can only go forward. In 1 John 1:9 we are told "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." If we can be forgiven for ALL the many sins we have committed, then we have to be willing to forgive those around us.
It seems that around Christmas people begin to really focus on love. Obviously it is a time when God sent us Love in the baby Jesus. But we shouldn't just love once a year, we should love all the time. 1 Peter 4:8 says - "And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." And maybe this is a good place for us to remind ourselves that it is not for us to judge others--Luke 6:37 - "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven:". This is the area that I plan to ask God to help me with the most as we begin a new year. I want to be slow to make assumptions, slow to judge others, and quick to offer love and forgiveness. Some of you may want to join me in the venture!!
So, before you start telling someone about a terrible decision, choice or sin of someone else, stop and think about this verse in Luke. Because good people make bad decisions, Christian people make wrong choices and saved people sin. As we go through our days let us keep this in mind. And let us always love. Always.
No comments:
Post a Comment