The dumb stuff we say and the God who forgives us
Yesterday, I talked about blowing an opportunity to invite my friends to join me in a word of thanks to God for the wonderful food we enjoyed. It kinda bugged me all day, and pretty much set the tone for a crappy evening. My life runs in concentric circles and here's a bit of what happened.
Seven years or so ago, Ogden City had a contest for business plans. Our entry was "Coop's Burgers". We won a prize in this contest: $5000.00. We started up, but then, well, no reason to get into all that again. The winner of the contest was a baked potato joint, which is still in business.
I have never been there, but the guys at work ordered out from there last night. When the food showed up, there was one potato missing: Yup. Mine. Instead of getting mad, or acting all butt-hurt, I chose to show some grace. My buddy was lots more upset by it than I was. I actually saw the humor in the situation, given the small little link in my life between this place and my own story.
Sometimes things happen. People make mistakes. My friend's wife tends to expect perfection in life from others and is frequently disappointed. He tells us stories of her dealings with people when things don't go right. I chose to set a different example and extend grace to someone who made a mistake and just move on from it. When you have a choice, always choose grace. I remember sometimes that people tend to look at me extra hard because of my outward profession of faith. I wasn't putting on a show. I chose to just not make a big deal of a mistake made by a human being in an imperfect, fallen world. I don't always do that.
Earlier in the day, I'd read something a friend posted on Facebook that left me scratching my head. I didn't see how it was consistent with an outward profession of faith my friend makes. But I also know my friend and understood where he was going from it with some earthly logic. Sometimes we mean well, but say dumb stuff that kind of invites an opportunity for us to maybe have God show up and correct us. Sometimes He uses His Word to accomplish this. Sometimes it's through the words of others, and for today, that was the case. I saw something to share that went directly to where my friend went last night. It made the point beautifully and I didn't get involved, other than seeing and sharing the message. I just saw God use something to address where my friend went. I think my friend saw it too. I could have rebuked my friend online. I could have rebuked my friend in a text, or told my friend what I thought about what my friend said and how I thought it was inconsistent with what my friend believes.
I didn't do that and I'm glad I didn't. I did ask God for some words to say if they were warranted and in His way, He provided this morning. And in God's way, my friend and I are still friends. The point is this: We don't always get it right. We say dumb stuff. There sins of commission and sins of omission in our lives. We stumble. We goof up. We get angry. We get hurt. We're all in this sin business together, and not even the pillars of the Christian community get it right all the time. Because we're still very much human. My buddy at work called up the potato place. They offered him a free potato and the one I paid for and didn't get. He's done so much for me (I have a fire pit and a lovely picture hanging in my living room thanks to him, and patio furniture!) so I told him to take them both and surprise his wife at her office with lunch. I was blessed to enjoy linch with my friends earlier in the day, so I was just thankful for what I had already received.
Sure I was disappointed, but what was getting upset going to solve? What was getting into an online discussion with my friend going to prove? Looking back at my own shortcoming during the day, who was I to point a finger at anybody for goofing up? T
hat's usually the thing with me.....I'm usually too worried about my own sins to worry about judging yours or anybody else's for that matter. Sometimes I think we have to speak up, but even in those circumstances, truth, told in love, and in the appropriate forum, will serve us more than reacting when emotions are charged up.
I read a very interesting article written by a man who struggles with same-sex attraction talking about Biblical truth. He was talking about a person who used to believe the Bible was the inspired Word of God, but then started taking a world-view that told him God is real and so is Jesus but they really don't mean all that stuff they said about sin. (paraphrasing badly, but it's the over-simplified version of the article I shared on Facebook and that you should read) I liked what the guy said and I will probably use it in a Bible study series I'm preparing soon.
We're gonna talk about walking the walk vs. talking the talk. Walking the walk means showing the same forgiveness and grace to others that we desperately need each day from Jesus. God reminded me today that He still loves me. He's still working on me. And I am oh, so thankful and grateful that He does.
I have never been there, but the guys at work ordered out from there last night. When the food showed up, there was one potato missing: Yup. Mine. Instead of getting mad, or acting all butt-hurt, I chose to show some grace. My buddy was lots more upset by it than I was. I actually saw the humor in the situation, given the small little link in my life between this place and my own story.
Sometimes things happen. People make mistakes. My friend's wife tends to expect perfection in life from others and is frequently disappointed. He tells us stories of her dealings with people when things don't go right. I chose to set a different example and extend grace to someone who made a mistake and just move on from it. When you have a choice, always choose grace. I remember sometimes that people tend to look at me extra hard because of my outward profession of faith. I wasn't putting on a show. I chose to just not make a big deal of a mistake made by a human being in an imperfect, fallen world. I don't always do that.
Earlier in the day, I'd read something a friend posted on Facebook that left me scratching my head. I didn't see how it was consistent with an outward profession of faith my friend makes. But I also know my friend and understood where he was going from it with some earthly logic. Sometimes we mean well, but say dumb stuff that kind of invites an opportunity for us to maybe have God show up and correct us. Sometimes He uses His Word to accomplish this. Sometimes it's through the words of others, and for today, that was the case. I saw something to share that went directly to where my friend went last night. It made the point beautifully and I didn't get involved, other than seeing and sharing the message. I just saw God use something to address where my friend went. I think my friend saw it too. I could have rebuked my friend online. I could have rebuked my friend in a text, or told my friend what I thought about what my friend said and how I thought it was inconsistent with what my friend believes.
I didn't do that and I'm glad I didn't. I did ask God for some words to say if they were warranted and in His way, He provided this morning. And in God's way, my friend and I are still friends. The point is this: We don't always get it right. We say dumb stuff. There sins of commission and sins of omission in our lives. We stumble. We goof up. We get angry. We get hurt. We're all in this sin business together, and not even the pillars of the Christian community get it right all the time. Because we're still very much human. My buddy at work called up the potato place. They offered him a free potato and the one I paid for and didn't get. He's done so much for me (I have a fire pit and a lovely picture hanging in my living room thanks to him, and patio furniture!) so I told him to take them both and surprise his wife at her office with lunch. I was blessed to enjoy linch with my friends earlier in the day, so I was just thankful for what I had already received.
Sure I was disappointed, but what was getting upset going to solve? What was getting into an online discussion with my friend going to prove? Looking back at my own shortcoming during the day, who was I to point a finger at anybody for goofing up? T
hat's usually the thing with me.....I'm usually too worried about my own sins to worry about judging yours or anybody else's for that matter. Sometimes I think we have to speak up, but even in those circumstances, truth, told in love, and in the appropriate forum, will serve us more than reacting when emotions are charged up.
I read a very interesting article written by a man who struggles with same-sex attraction talking about Biblical truth. He was talking about a person who used to believe the Bible was the inspired Word of God, but then started taking a world-view that told him God is real and so is Jesus but they really don't mean all that stuff they said about sin. (paraphrasing badly, but it's the over-simplified version of the article I shared on Facebook and that you should read) I liked what the guy said and I will probably use it in a Bible study series I'm preparing soon.
We're gonna talk about walking the walk vs. talking the talk. Walking the walk means showing the same forgiveness and grace to others that we desperately need each day from Jesus. God reminded me today that He still loves me. He's still working on me. And I am oh, so thankful and grateful that He does.
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