No man can know of his salvation without knowing of his depravity.
Today my husband and I started talking about this. This conversation encouraged my motivation for this blog.
I am probably one of the most "churched" people you know. There were many times growing up when my parents struggled with the temptation of limiting my church activities because I wanted so badly to be at bible studies, youth group, "fellowships", etc. that I was in perfect church attendance every day of the week. I say all this simply to show how much I loved my church up-bringing. I love the people. I love the church.
As I was thinking about this depravation concept though, it really got me questioning if we had been missing something. It made me wonder if we had been playing God. Because of that idea many people have spent their lives trying to convert people to christianity simply by pointing out other people's sin. We as a culture stand on our street corners preaching across the street to the "sinners" and expect it to draw some sort of authentic love for the Savior.
However, it seems that the only thing it has done is create a thicker wall around each of the hearts we have yelled at (and create a huge fear of hell, of course).
I used to think that because Jesus was perfect, I need to be as perfect as humanly possible for people to see Jesus in me.
What if.. I wonder.. if instead of turning my nose up at people in self-righteousness.. what if I had walked across the street and given a hug? What if I hadn't hidden my struggles and helped them with theirs? What if I cried with them? Would that have made a difference?
What if we spoke life into people, instead of death?
But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10
Jesus comes not for the super-spiritual but for the wobbly and weak-kneed who know they don't have it all together, and who are not too proud to accept the handout of amazing grace. -brennan manning
To anyone I have yelled at from my street corner:
I beg your forgiveness. I should have been your friend.
