FOOD
FOR THOUGHT
(11/16/2008)
“
Good " Christian ?
Stanley Chang
Someone
once asked Jesus, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and
sinners?"
Jesus
eats with us!! Yes, we are the tax collectors and Sinners. We are the
broken and abused. We are people who can't get it right. We are the screw-ups.
We fail over and over again. We are the ones in need of a savior, who
is full of grace and mercy.
We
try so hard to become perfect
…to
do what's right.
…to
be a good person
…to
not sin
We
beat ourselves up when we come up short. We feel guilty when we fail in
our struggles over and over again. We think that we are not good enough
for God. We see ourselves unworthy to be a “good” Christian. Funny
thing is that there are no “good” Christians…only Christians who
think they are good.
I think
most of us have grown up in this Pharisee-ish culture. We must not be
weird. We must look nice and dress nice. (Especially at church!!!!) We
can't be mess-ups. Must follow all the rules! We can't be sinners.
Is
that what Jesus said?
When
has Jesus ever told us to become perfect first so that we may approach
him and Love Him? Or does He want us to relentlessly chase after Him and
love Him first so that He may make us clean?
What
do you hear Jesus calling you to do?
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