Sometimes I worry that I come off wrong. In that last post I am not trying to be the person at the temple saying "thank god I am not like those other people" instead of the person pouring out their heart. But rather I wish to give a pep talk to some Christians out there who may feel left out of the kingdom because we do not have dramatic conversion stories, have run of the mill problems that don't require intense fasting and intervention and church resources, and maybe feel like we have a cold rather than huge sickness and dont mind if the great physcian puts us at the end of line to get healed. There's a prevalence in the Christian world, real or imagined, that people with big problems and dramatic stories of repentance get a lot of limelight and attention- almost to the point that they are the standard and we, too, should have big sins from which God will save us. I'm sure you know what I am talking about. Stories of people who were drug addicts or this or that kind of person who had a huge encounter with God get toted and praised and some amount of glory a la prodigal son that make those of us who have a different, maybe more lame story - I grew up going to church with Christian parents- feel like we are ... not cool, deficient, lacking something?
But we're not. That was my point. It is by god's severe mercy and grace that big life destroying sins haven't crossed our paths- or if they have, God protected us and didn't let us fall in temptation. God's using us for his story, too. It might not get told for awhile, however. And I was trying to point out that there is glory in the "non story" story. Hence the reference to the worker's wages parable. There is something to knowing Jesus for a long time that could maybe be quantified into extra wages or what have you. Still waters run deep. And that's cool. There is power in that. It might not be as flashy or a great sermon illustration. Not everyone lives up to Paul, but many other apostles and disciples did great work too. Barnabus, Philip, silas, and many many women all did a lot for the early church too and probably were not murdering zealots like Paul was in his early years. And that was what I was trying to get out. It's a good thing to live a good life. It's good to have minor sins to repent of. It's healthier for the kingdom, healthier for your relationship with others and with God...
Before I start digging myself into a hole, I think we all struggle with sin- the impact of which is not good for anybody- and it is god's grace and mercy that works in all of us no matter our story. And for those of us that feel like we don't have big problems we wrestle deeply with, know that much is expected to those whom much has been given. And again, I reiterate my belief that means that we should be working hard at building the kingdom now. Extending grace to those who need, teaching those who do not know and living out the stories given to us by our Father above. Whether we are the older son or the prodigal, we have a place in God's kingdom. And to tie it all back to lent, the season of repentance, that is why we confess our sins, so we can continue to be reconciled to God (and our fellow man) and bring peace and unity to the kingdom.
And yeah, I could go onto say that it is weird that part of the way to combat sin is to throw a party for it- more turning the way the world works on it's head, but i'm not going to go into it. But it is interesting to think about. Because when you do have big issues to wrestle it, the thought that God's going to throw you a party after it, turns our notion of justice and punishment up on its head.
No comments:
Post a Comment