Recent Musings:
Unbelievable humility.
Saturday, April 29, 2006
I don't know if you've ever picked up on it, but I tend to feel that I am lesser than the other Christians I know. This is not necessarily because I think I am, rather it's because I'm told I am by the people who think so. They like to remind me how wrong and sinful I am with the decisions I've made in life. Nice people.
However, I read an unbelievable Bible verse that I admittedly do have a hard time claiming as my own. I Timothy 1:15, Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners — of whom I am the worst. (NIV)
How's that for humility? How's that for not being judgmental? How's that for realizing the full value of grace and salvation? It's a shame not every Christian, myself included, doesn't claim this as the mantra for their life and their Christian journey. There'd be a lot less judgment and condemnation between people.
Even if I haven't thought I was the worst sinner ever, I like that this verse reminds me that ANYTHING I do makes me guilty and makes me a sinner, A-N-Y-T-H-I-N-G. I don't necessarily need to kill anyone to be a horrible sinner, instead I could avoid taking responsibility for my own beliefs. There isn't a list of sins ranging from #1 to #1,000 which make me more or less guilty depending on where they fit on the list. I'm guilty. And so are you. There, I said it, now leave me alone!
Stop acting like you're better than me! Stop acting like you're holier than anyone else who lives on this earth! You claim the Pope isn't holy because he's just a man and yet you'll self-righteously elevate yourself to a more righteous status because you attend a certain church denomination. Stop it! I am not fooled any longer by this facade; in fact, I've been fooled for too long and now I'm fighting back. Even if you haven't done anything wrong in 15 years, you still have messed up something at some point in your life and that automatically makes you and I equal. Nothing you can do can change the fact that you are just as human as I. So shut up already!
Argh!! Yes, I'm frustrated; did you sense that vibe? I like labeling myself as the worst of sinners; it makes my salvation much more meaningful. I haven't done anything to earn my salvation except be sinful and I'm okay with that. Are you?