Scripture
For the upright will inhabit the land, and those of integrity will remain in it.
~Proverbs 2:21, CSB
Quote
We lose our credibility when we refuse to acknowledge our errors.
~Ya’akov
It is hard for a man to say what Jonah said to the sailors, “I know that I am the blame.” We all make mistakes. I don’t need your confession to confirm this truth, I have the word of of God…“All have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” I know you are a sinner and I know you make mistakes but when you pretend that you have it all together and that you never make mistakes in your judgment and decisions, you lose credibility in my eyes and all those who know the word of God and understand human depravity. Our pride is so great and our wills so strong that relationships suffer simply because we are too filled with ourselves to say, “My fault, I am to be blamed, it was my mistake.” This inordinate pride destroys marriages and disrupts fellowships. A part of growing up is learning to assume responsibility for our sins. I have known naive parents who thought their kids were exceptional only to be disappointed when they catch their child in a lie. I don’t know how many disappointed parents I have counseled with who were heartbroken because their teenager told them a lie. All kids and teenagers lie. If you thought it would keep you from getting a beating or being grounded, wouldn’t you lie? A part of becoming a responsible adult is learning to take responsibility for our errors, our goofs or hurtful deeds and words. I am amazed when adults go to rationalizing their sin. Come on folks, just tell the truth and be done with it.
I know what you are thinking: “I can’t tell the truth, folks will think less of me.” Actually, the opposite is true, folks will think more of you. When you make a mistake in public and then you began covering it with excuses, your credibility suffers. People know by your very actions that you are dishonest. While I was at the Braves game a few nights ago, I had a very condescending thought about the beer guzzlers that were all around us. I’m sorry folks but I associate beer with rednecks and folks who are not highly intelligent. So, I am sitting there on my little throne judging these ignorant rednecks when the Holy Spirit interrupted my condescending thoughts. He convicted me of a sin far worse than drinking a beer. He basically told me, “What these people are doing is not nearly as bad as what you are doing.” Wow, that hurt, so I bowed my head and repented. Yeah, I know I am a preacher but I have news for you: preachers sin. I am not saying that it helps my image to sin in public but it would destroy all my credibility if I pretended that I never sinned. Pride is a deceitful thing. The moment I realize or am convicted of a sin, I start looking for the pride that caused it. Sometimes it take days or even months to locate it but it is always there. Pride goes before a fall {sin}. This is a spiritual law and it is just as real as the law of gravity.
- We had a business meeting last night at Grace Point and June enjoyed it. She even voiced her opinion. They have a fellowship before the business meeting. I guess it is an ice breaker. When the clerk read the minutes, I had made the motion to adjure the last meeting. The moderator is not suppose to do that but they thought it was funny.
- If you need corn give me a call in the morning around 9:00, then come get it. I will gather it for you but I am not going to shuck it or cook it for you.
- Yesterday Chloe asked Big Mama how many days it was to Trunk-A-Treat. Big Mama said, “first you start to school {PTL}, then there is your birthday and then Trunk-A-Treat. Hey, it will all be here too soon for me. The teachers have less than two weeks before they have to start the new year: Bless them LORD. I am glad to be retired.
- I got a new job on Tuesday and I worked my fool head off. I painted for five straight hours without taking a break, plus I bought my boss her lunch and I still got fired. Worse than that, she replaced me with a woman. Life is filled with disappointments. I was so hurt that I stayed in my study all day yesterday.
Recently, while I was working in the flower beds in the front yard, my neighbors stopped to chat as they returned home from walking their dog. During our friendly conversation, I asked their little girl what she
wanted to be when she grew up. She said she wanted to be President someday. Both of her parents,
Democratic Party members, were standing there so I asked her, “If you were President what would be the first thing you would do?” She replied.. “I’d give food and houses to all the homeless people.” Her parents beamed with pride! “Wow, what a worthy goal!” I said, “But you don’t have to wait until you’re President to do that!” “What do you mean?” she replied. So I told her, “You can come over to my house and mow the lawn, pull weeds, and trim my hedge, and I’ll pay you $50. Then you can go over to the grocery store where the homeless guy hangs out, and you can give him the $50 to use toward food and a new house.” She thought that over for a few seconds, then she looked me straight in the eye and asked, “Why doesn’t the homeless guy come over and do the work, and you can just pay him the $50?” I said, “Welcome to the Republican Party.” Her parents aren’t speaking to me anymore.