Originally published Friday, 22 April 2016.
I confessed yesterday that I am a hypocrite. It is the plain old truth. I took the quiz on that post - it was clear cut - and a very ugly reality.
I write blogging words of adoration and then lose my mind to frustration a couple hours later. I think I know, but then, don't go with Christ. I try to succeed, over listening to God's words that say heed.
Do you think you are above the law too?
Don't let pride rob,
what, in humility, you once surrendered.
Pride is notorious for stealing your need for Christ. He'll tell you, "You should be sitting in high places." He'll whisper, "You know what is best for others." He'll taunt, "Look at them, those sinners." He'll grab for your heart, saying, "You know so much, you aren't doing anything wrong." He'll hide gentleness in his bag, saying, "Tell them how it is. Forget that you do it too."
And here is what happens...when religiosity comes to plunder humility, what results is a relationship based on falsity with God.
It is horrible. It is empty. It is worthless.
We pretend to be, someone - or something - God never said we could be.
Truth exposed: God never said we would be above his standard, higher than others and outside of his words of conviction.
Instead, he said:
"If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us." (1 John 1:8)
"There is no one righteous, not even one." (Romans 3:10)
"Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Genesis 6:5)
Now, if you are like me, you be asking yourself, how do I move from deception and self-gratification back to full-connection with God?
Simple antidote: Let humility restore what vanity stole.
We can recenter ourselves in humility by keeping in mind the following questions:
1. Am I sharing my tender failings or just my personal victories?
2. Am I looking to find my own mistakes or that of others?
3. Do I practice what I preach?
We move forward in gracious, open and kind-hearted servanthood, but we also move forward remembering that God's grace is reserved for sinner-folk like us. He doesn't banish us because we messed up. He is not going to torment us forever because we did wrong. He won't negate all eternity contracts with us. He forgives us.
That is the great thing about humility. It sits a sinner in the center of Christ's heart, where they swim in the blood shed to cover them. They are safe, they are sound and they are at peace, because they know it is not by their doing, but solely by his. They rejoice in this. They feel held again.
Is Christ calling you back to the center of his mercy-soaked heart? He waits.
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