For all of our talk about sin and savior, it seems like Christians are among the worst to recognize our own sin. We have ways to deal with our sin, most of which leave us looking squeaky clean.
Sometimes we hide our sin. We are like children who cower behind the fence to get a few puffs off a re-lit cigarette butt. We are careful about those with whom we gossip. We talk about giving while we hoard. We pray for the poor, but close our eyes to them when no one is around. We don’t have to admit anything. No one knows.
Sometimes we make excuses for our sin. We speak harshly to our children and then talk about our bad day. We default on our mortgage and cite economic factors. We lie, but imagine it is for some greater good. We always have a reason and it is always for the good of humanity.
Sometimes we redefine it as righteousness. We don’t gossip, we share needs. We love everyone, just some people don’t deserve our kindness. We are not lazy, we are meditating.
We talk about sin, but we don’t talk about ours. We talk about a savior, but the only sins we can think of are other people’s or those from decades gone by. By the way we talk, sometimes I wonder if the whole cross thing was really necessary, we might have been fine with a good public relations guy.
I know that is crazy talk, but when was the last time you had a frank talk with another human being and talked about your sin? Not mistakes, not bad choices, not missed opportunities, but sin? Scary, isn’t it.
I have a feeling, though, most people are struggling with the same things we are and if we would just come clean, we would find we are not alone. We would find there are other people who live in the same place we do and are just as frustrated as we are. We all need forgiveness.
It is only when we confess our sin that we find forgiveness.
Funny thing about Jesus, He died for our sin. The more we insist we have nothing to hide–the more we shout about our righteousness, the less we think we need a Savior and the more we need one.
I don’t really need a PR guy. I need a Savior.