This is another one of the many virtues we're supposed to strive for that I think gets overlooked.
Maybe you're a bit skeptical of that. You're honest! I mean really, when was the last time you said "Yes" when the truth was "No"? Or the last time you blamed your brother for something you did? Most of you can probably say something along the lines of, "I haven't done that for years," or, "I only did that when I was little." That would be my answer. Under that basis, I'd say I'm pretty honest, and my guess is that you would too. So why am I writing this? No doubt you've heard of "white lies". I would define it as a lie that is "innocent" or perhaps "necessary". Google defines it as "An often trivial, diplomatic, or well-intentioned untruth". I've realized that it could also be defined this way: "A lie with the word 'Well,' "So,' and/or 'But' in it." I just found this verse today: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything more then this comes from evil." Matthew 5:37 Do you get what that means? When you say, "Well, no, I didn't get all my homework done, but I got distracted doing such-and-such. . . so I'll finish it soon," I have said something like that. . . the only significant difference that I probably didn't use "such-and-such". Now lets compare that example to the example given in Matthew: "Let what you say be simply 'Yes' or 'No'" The Bible doesn't leave room for "Buts", "Wells", and "So's". Yes, or No. Did you or didn't you? Simple as that. In other words, my answer when asked about homework should have been simply: "No, I'm sorry, I didn't get all of it done." That's true honesty. "White lies" are not "white" at all. They're as black as a "real lie" in God's eyes. "Lying lips are an abomination to the LORD." Prov. 12:22
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". . . but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." Leviticus 19:28 "So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." 1Corinthians 1:18 "By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:35 This is another one of those things- we've all heard it before I'm sure. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love as God first loved you. Love your enemy. It would seem that the Bible says that love should be a "Christian characteristic"- one of the things that makes us stand out. Something that distinguishes us from the guy who gives money to the poor and seems really nice but isn't a Christian. We're supposed to love. Do we? Sadly. . . I'm not sure we do. We recently (ish, it was about a year ago now) moved for the second time in two years. We didn't move to a new city, and not even to a different part of the city, just to a different house. In our new neighborhood, we live next door to a DJ. He and his wife have a few little kids that are always running around. They have parties frequently and visitors even more so. They're extremely friendly and outgoing. One day when my Dad was out mowing the lawn, the guy came over and offered him a beer. Not something my Dad could accept and perhaps not what we were looking for, but a very friendly gesture all the same. Then there's our "other neighbors". They fall under the opposite category that the DJ does. And that's the same category my family is in- they keep to themselves and live quietly. Awhile back, after talking to the DJ's daughter, my mom related something the girl said about the other neighbors being "sooo boring". (translation: don't party, keep to themselves) ( And if you're wondering, she's pretty young. . . and can still get away with saying things like that if you know what I mean) Before this, my mom had told me she thought that the "boring" neighbors were Christian. Then, when she repeated what the little girl said about them, my response? "Yep, definitely Christians." I was joking, yes. And yet, in a way I wasn't. Why is it that our un-Christian neighbor is the one that has made an effort to be friendly and get to know us? Why is it we, the Christians who are supposed to love (and keep in mind there's a big difference between loving and tolerating) everyone, are the ones making no effort to even get to know our neighbors, let alone try to share Jesus? Loving someone implies caring about them, not just "not hating" them or something. And if we care about someone, would we really ignore them? Or even if we didn't ignore them, wouldn't we take it further than just becoming acquainted (without mentioning anything about our faith)? I actually know people who haven't accepted or have been "scared away" from Christ because the people that claim to follow Him, the Christians, made them feel judged. I don't think this is really loving. I don't think that "love" is the characteristic the average person would assign to a Christian. It seems to me that all too often, we only love those who "deserve" it, in our opinion. Or we only love the people we already know, since it doesn't come naturally to just love anyone. But that is exactly what the Bible says to do. "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples." Are we loving as Christ loves us? (Take a moment to think about that- how much we would have to love to love the way Christ loves.) Is love what distinguishes us as Jesus' disciples? Are hope and faith abiding, but not love, which is the greatest of them all? Do you love your neighbor as yourself? Familiar with the song "The Great I Am?" Well, even if you're not, I'm relatively positive you're familiar with the story of the burning bush and Moses. Heard it a thousand times, right?
Me too. And yet, recently, something about that story really stuck out to me. I'm currently reading the book Crazy Love, and let me just say its really good, so you should read it. But I'd like to expound on one of the points the author, Francis Chan, made. Let's check this out: And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, "I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, "Moses, Moses!" And he said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." And He said, "I am the God of your father, the god of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. So this is a pretty cool story. . . non-burning burning bushes? That's pretty neat. What's really cool, of course, is that God is in the bush, and speaks to Moses. Can you imagine being Moses? I think I would be scared silly. Next, God says that He has seen the plight of His people, and tells Moses that He will use him to deliver them. Moses at first tries to list all the reasons he isn't fit for the job. God's answer is simple, but it's all we need: "But I will be with you." Okay, now we get to the point I'm trying to make. . . Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is His name?' what shall I say to them?" God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." Have you ever taken a personality test? Something I think we try to do is answer those questions for God. In other words, we kind of say to God, "Hey, take this test. I want to know what You're like." Then, we change our minds and, without realizing it, think, "Nah, I just want God to be what I want Him to be like." So, instead, we move God over and answer the questions for Him. We make God what we want Him to be. Example one: So, when we have a friend that isn't a believer, we make God the good-guy: "God forgives all, my friend will go to heaven." When we are really annoyed with a different unbelieving friend, God is the bad-guy: "Hmph. Well, God will judge her for her actions!" Example two: When it comes time to do our daily Bible study, but we really want to read that book, play that game, or just get to bed early/sleep in a bit, God will surely forgive us. When your friend or sibling admits he/she hasn't been doing their devotionals consistently, we become "better Christians" in our mind. We unconsciously have a mindset of, "God doesn't forgive them," or "I had an excuse". And yet. . . I AM WHO I AM. We don't get to decide what God's like. He's perfect, and He is who He is. That's one aspect of the realization I had about this. Here's the other. . . Alright. Now I'm going to quiz you again. . . Have you heard the song "Indescribable"? I admit, this song never meant much to me. . . I mean, it was fine as far as Christian songs go, but it just wasn't anything special. Now, however, I see a lot more meaning behind the words, particularly one word. . . "Indescribable". I sometimes have a hard time grasping just what God is. Some Bible verses say He forgives mercifully, others say He is the righteous Judge. In some Old Testament stories, God is wrathful and wipes out whole cities. But we're also told that He loves everyone. So sometimes I have a hard time figuring out just what God is like. Or just what His 'description' entails in all. But now, I realize that God is who He is. He is indescribable. Being the Christian family that we are, and it being Sunday, today we went to Church! (what a surprise!)
During the sermon, the substitute pastor (our usual pastor was sick, along with half of the rest of the church, including my mom) said something that really stood out to me. So, I thought I'd share it with you and expound on it a bit. First, let me just say, this is not the first time I've heard something along these lines (that would be bad!). . . just the first time I've thought on it much and from this perspective. He said that a deacon at a church he grew up in used to end the service with the following prayer: "Lord, forgive us our sins of commission and omission." Just in case you're like me and you aren't already familiar with what these terms mean, here's the gist of it. A sins of commission is something you do that is wrong. For instance, lying, cheating, stealing, (the list goes on) and so forth. Anything you do that you shouldn't do, whether big or small. (Though of course, the Bible says all sins are equal in God's eyes. We're the ones that put label our mistakes as "S", "M", "L", or "XL".) The other word, omission, is a type of sin we don't always realize is a sin. And yet, as I just said, all sins are equal in God's eyes according to the Bible, so we should take omission just as seriously as commission. Omission is a sin where you don't do something that is right. Maybe God told you to do something, and you didn't. Or maybe you just didn't pray when you should have. I have an example of omission. . . it has a lot to do with this website actually. The book I wrote, A Teen's View- Simple but Logical Arguments against Evolution has actually been finished for several months. And yet, I am just now making an effort to "get it out there." And that isn't because I didn't think it was time. It was. As a matter of fact, for some time now its been obvious to me that I'm not supposed to just let that book sit there any longer. Several of our pastor's recent sermons at church have included context that made me inwardly mutter, "Well, I guess I should get that done. . ." So what did I do when I got home from church on those days? Not what I should have. I didn't get on the computer and look into publishing or making a website. I continued to let the book sit there. That's a sin of omission. In conclusion, don't think that sins are only something you can commit. As often as not, they are something you don't commit. Not doing things that you are supposed to is a sin, just as doing what you're not supposed to. If God tells you to do something, do it. I've heard it said that the true sign of love is obedience- so be obedient! Don't let laziness, uncertainty, nervousness, worry, or anything else keep you from fulfilling God's plan for you. |
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