The Depravity of Man
The Depravity of Man
Over the last few years, I have been learning about the depravity of man. In fact, a lot of GLR is based upon the fact that we all fall short, we all sin, and we all make mistakes but it’s what we do with those that makes all the difference in this world.
I made some really dumb choices after I graduated from high school and in my early college years. Those choices caused pain and heartache for me and for those around me. They caused shame, guilt, and a fear of condemnation and actual condemnation. But I had a choice: I had a choice to continue down the path of destruction and pain or to move forward into light and truth. I eventually chose Jesus and through the process of true remorse, forgiveness, and healing, I began to learn to live. In fact, I am still learning what it means to truly live in this crazy, broken, messy world that is full of people that are crazy, broken and messy.
But I know that learning about what it is to live amongst this broken world is part of the process. The fact that we ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God makes me incredibly grateful that God saw fit to send Jesus to the cross for us! He knew that more than anything else, we needed HIM. Because we live in a world where bad things happen to unsuspecting people, where we are bombarded with darkness and sin, where we are faced with incredibly tough choices all the time – all of those and more are reasons why it’s imperative that we realize that this world can’t be navigated on our own, and instead, we need a Savior to stand before the throne on our behalf.. In addition to the darkness, we live in a world where through the blood of Jesus, we can choose to love others through the hard stuff, we can choose to walk with someone out of sin and darkness, we can share, educate, and tell our stories so that we each can learn from one another in vulnerability and light.
If I can humbly walk with my neighbor with absolutely no judgement, while loving him or her along the way, how much more will they seek true repentance, true grace, true love? If I can model to them the love of Christ in my own imperfect way, how much more could they begin to experience the love of Christ? When I was walking in sin, I knew I was there, and I felt it. I knew I was doing something wrong and I felt the shame and guilt. I didn’t need someone to throw stones at me. I needed someone to love me, to walk with me, to gently show me that living a life in the light was better than hiding in the darkness. I needed relationships built on truth tempered with love, and with vulnerability considered with grace.
I believe we need to see people, and when in relationship, we are granted the ability to have real conversations about life. But if we want people to trust us, then we have to be willing to put down the stones. Judgment is not ours to pass. We have to be willing to let Jesus lead the way and allow his grace to cover us all.
We all have to know and truly understand that ALL have sinned, not just a few, not just other people, but ALL! We ALL need Jesus!
I am learning this more and more every day. And I am truly trying to lay down my stones so that I can truly love people the way that God loves me.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." -Romans 3:23
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28
Over the last few years, I have been learning about the depravity of man. In fact, a lot of GLR is based upon the fact that we all fall short, we all sin, and we all make mistakes but it’s what we do with those that makes all the difference in this world.
I made some really dumb choices after I graduated from high school and in my early college years. Those choices caused pain and heartache for me and for those around me. They caused shame, guilt, and a fear of condemnation and actual condemnation. But I had a choice: I had a choice to continue down the path of destruction and pain or to move forward into light and truth. I eventually chose Jesus and through the process of true remorse, forgiveness, and healing, I began to learn to live. In fact, I am still learning what it means to truly live in this crazy, broken, messy world that is full of people that are crazy, broken and messy.
But I know that learning about what it is to live amongst this broken world is part of the process. The fact that we ALL sin and fall short of the glory of God makes me incredibly grateful that God saw fit to send Jesus to the cross for us! He knew that more than anything else, we needed HIM. Because we live in a world where bad things happen to unsuspecting people, where we are bombarded with darkness and sin, where we are faced with incredibly tough choices all the time – all of those and more are reasons why it’s imperative that we realize that this world can’t be navigated on our own, and instead, we need a Savior to stand before the throne on our behalf.. In addition to the darkness, we live in a world where through the blood of Jesus, we can choose to love others through the hard stuff, we can choose to walk with someone out of sin and darkness, we can share, educate, and tell our stories so that we each can learn from one another in vulnerability and light.
If I can humbly walk with my neighbor with absolutely no judgement, while loving him or her along the way, how much more will they seek true repentance, true grace, true love? If I can model to them the love of Christ in my own imperfect way, how much more could they begin to experience the love of Christ? When I was walking in sin, I knew I was there, and I felt it. I knew I was doing something wrong and I felt the shame and guilt. I didn’t need someone to throw stones at me. I needed someone to love me, to walk with me, to gently show me that living a life in the light was better than hiding in the darkness. I needed relationships built on truth tempered with love, and with vulnerability considered with grace.
I believe we need to see people, and when in relationship, we are granted the ability to have real conversations about life. But if we want people to trust us, then we have to be willing to put down the stones. Judgment is not ours to pass. We have to be willing to let Jesus lead the way and allow his grace to cover us all.
We all have to know and truly understand that ALL have sinned, not just a few, not just other people, but ALL! We ALL need Jesus!
I am learning this more and more every day. And I am truly trying to lay down my stones so that I can truly love people the way that God loves me.
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." -Romans 3:23
"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose." -Romans 8:28
Comments
Post a Comment