September 17, 2009

• "My Sin Looks Worse on You!" 
           [The idea for this post was inspired by a status posting on Facebook--I no longer have a name; she's gone!] 
  
        I read that statement on a Facebook status line and it resonated with me. The person who made the remark, was bewailing the fact that she was wasting a lot of her time (too much) on FB--that in fact, the time she spent there was cutting into getting other routine chores done. As she explained, it seemed to me that she might have been discussing this very thing with one of her friends, when somewhere along the way it was said to her; "My sin looks worse on you". That was apparently the ‘tipping point’, because over the last couple weeks, this lady has apparently abandoned any activity on FB.

        For a few moments, think about this remark. In the first place, it’s true! No matter what the sin, rationalization is always a part of the equation. We always have a good reason (excuse) for why we did this or didn’t do that. From our perspective the actions, thoughts or attitudes that we must claim for ourselves are never as suspect or sinister as those same actions, thoughts or attitudes displayed by someone else. A sin we see in another, that might otherwise warrant a scathing rebuke, is completely justified or ignored when it appears in our own lives. Our sins always look worse on others. Why? How can we possibly justify this?

        I suppose our most important consideration is; How do our sins look on us from God’s perspective? Would He agree that my sin looks worse on others than it does on me? Probably not!

        God through Isaiah did not say; "Some of your sins (not all of them) have separated you from your God." No, His charge is:
   
  
                     
  
        Unfortunately we persist in our delusion. And because we deceive ourselves so easily and willingly, Jesus was compelled to lay down one of His most basic instructions about sin--our sins and the sins of our neighbors:

                    
  

        I suspect that from God’s perspective, all sin looks pretty much the same regardless of who is ‘wearing’ it. His entire approach to sin has been (is) decisive, drastic and dramatic:
  
                
  
        That’s how serious He is in regard to sin. As a result, each of us needs to change our mind about sin--my sin and your sin. Jesus was put to death because of it and by our refusal to accept His free gift of life, we will die because of it (Romans 3:23). It’s that serious. And so it is imperative that I come to the understanding that my sin looks no better or no worse on others than it does on me. It all looks bad to God and I must flee to Him for the remedy! 
                                                                                                                                                         

  • 12:48 pm
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