Wednesday 23 February 2011

Becoming holier by instalments

In response to my religious/non-religious humour stuff, Jake sent me something that made me smile and reminded me of some of the people I've known and their faith journeys in particular. But first the funny bit:

"I once knew a man in New York City, when I was a pastor there, and he was a former gang member. He came up to me one day and said, 'Yesterday walking down the street I was confronted by a man who pulled a knife on me. So I pulled out my gun and shot him in the knee caps.' Bursting into tears of joy, the man continued, 'But Praise the Lord! A year ago I would've shot him in the head!'"

Some of the people I have been privileged to lead into relationship with Christ have been, mmmm, let's say 'less whiter than White" with regards to their lifestyles and attitudes. One of them, having made a commitment, really struggled with the honesty thing. This person used to steal stuff and one day I met them on the street and asked how things were going. "Great, I'm only nicking cheap stuff now!" came the reply.

It took the person about five years to totally stop nicking stuff and eventually they became a full-time Christian worker.

The joke got me thinking about that person and the issue of faith, commitment and our attitudes and lifestyle as Christians. God doesn't ask us to do less, or lesser, sinful stuff but to stop doing it altogether. This is what those without the sin in question call the cost of commitment and those who engage in it, like the star of my story call '!?**! hard work'.

Got me thinking:

How hard am I (and you) working to stop doing the wrong stuff and how happy am I with less of it when there should be none?

Pax

4 comments:

UKViewer said...

The story made me smile. The question made me frown.

I know I try to live without the bad bits, but fail often. I'm not talking about theft or violence, but the small human things in relationships with others and particularly with God.

It's so hard to give up self and abandon everything to God, I suppose I will have to be happy with continuing to try to reach that state, knowing that human weakness will sometimes intervene, but also knowing that their is forgiveness for a penitent.

Anonymous said...

An interesting post and one which I can identify with.

I am involved with the CMA - Christian Motorcycle Association. An organisation put together to evangelise to bikers. Some of these guys come to the Lord quite happily (and sometimes quite dramatically) but then have to break habits of behaviour that they have spent years building up.

As for the question - I agree with UK Viewer. It is hard to give it all up to the Lord and let him run our lives rather than keep holding on to different things. But as long as we keep trying thats what matters.

Jake Belder said...

Thanks, Vic. Someone encouraged me once by saying that the more conscious we are of our sin and the more we feel like we are failing in our sanctification, the holier we are actually becoming. That pursuit of righteousness makes us more aware of our sin, which consequently drives us to Christ. I struggle with that often – feeling that I am not really getting any better – but need to remember that I probably actually am, and just have the Spirit working in me to expose the sin that still lurks in my heart. Colossians 3 is such an encouragement for me in that regard, knowing that we've been raised to new life with Christ, giving us the power to struggle against sin until the day he returns and glorifies us.

Vic Van Den Bergh said...

I struggle with my own failings, which the Bible often calls 'sin' , and have often gone for 'none' but settled for 'less'!

I have come to the conclusion that setting the bar high and not condemning when people fail is the key. Some friends and colleagues tell me we should merely encourage people to 'be better' and yet this merely means kneecapping rather than a head shot when it requires the weapon to be holstered.

This post has challenged me greatly - thank you all for your comments,

V