Originally published Thursday, 31 December 2015.
For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Romans 3:23 (MSG)
This week, someone I admire forgot something important. They asked me to step in and help them out. I was happy too. This person always seems to have it all together. When they messaged me for help I thought, “Wow, they also make mistakes from time to time.”
It is so easy to do that, isn’t it? To believe that someone is better than you or even that you are better than someone else.
It's a horrible thing to admit but I like it when other people do worse than me at things.
When someone else fails at something I'm good at I often gloat. Rarely, do I gloat to their face, but often I’ll tell my husband how I did better than someone else at something.
I often forget that we are all human, that we are all made from the same earth.
There is a bible verse in Romans I’ve been thinking about since I was requested to help out earlier this week: “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”
I often associate this verse with angry turn-or-burn rhetoric: “enter the Kingdom of God now or live all your days in fear of God who is out to get you in hell for eternity.”
I’ve been thinking that maybe “For all have sinned” isn't meant to be a declaration to hold over the heads of those we think are sinners but as a reminder that we're all the same.
Perhaps Romans 3:23 should be viewed as an invitation to let our neighbour who (often) loves us as poorly as we love ourselves off the hook.
We have all disappointed God.
We are all desperately in need of Grace.
From God.
From others.
From ourselves.
What if we read Romans 3:23 as a reminder that we are all human and in need of Jesus to set things right for all of us?
God breathed life into each of us.
Jesus gave life to each of us on the cross.
All have sinned but all are loved by God. (tweet this)
And then, what if I took this attitude and lived it in my relationships, if instead of thinking of others as better or worse than me, I thought of them as someone in need of Grace, mercy and kindness?
It is so easy for me to feel “less than” or “more than” when God has only asked me to “love”. (tweet this)
Ponder: What if we read Romans 3:23 as a reminder that we are all human and in need of Jesus to set things right for all of us? How would that change things for you?
Prayer: God, help me to remember that we are all human and all equally loved by you.
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- This was orginally published on my site in October 2015. To read more devotionals like this go to ilovedevotionals.com
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