"When we sin and mess up our lives, we find that God doesn't go off and leave us -- he enters into our trouble and saves us."
"All the persons of faith I know are sinners, doubters, uneven performers. We are secure not because we are sure of ourselves but because we trust that God is sure of us."
- Eugene Peterson, "A Long Obedience in the Same Direction"
More than almost anything, I hate hypocritical behavior. Ironically, every day I am hugely hypocritical. Just ask anyone who's watched me fail, fail and fail again at my July resolution to not criticize. Probably even this post constitutes a failure of that effort. But tonight I can't stop thinking about how dishonest and delusional self-righteous attitudes are.
What is the point in beating people when they're down? And why are Christians associated with this kind of behavior more than anyone else? Who are we trying to fool?
Jesus loved sinners. He was not condescending, judgmental or holier-than-thou, although he certainly could have played that card. He pursued them. He hung out with them. He defended them against the religious nuts. Ultimately, he died for them.
Why do we act as if we're better than that?
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