1 Timothy 4:12 - Don't Let Anyone Think Less of You

Don't let anyone think less of you because you are young. Be an example to all believers in what you say, in the way you live, in your love, your faith, and your purity.

2 Timothy 4:12

I am a product of the Millennial generation. Since I fall toward the debatable beginning of that time span, I feel that I understand the concerns of the older generation and the younger generation even as I feel misunderstood by both of them.

I have desired to serve God to the fullest extent I could, though obviously there have been mountain tops and valleys of that commitment. I have struggled with feeling that I am not taken seriously by older generations of Christians, whether that is rooted in the truth or not.

We Millennials DO need to be listened to. We understand the current culture, as tripped up as we often get by the traps the Enemy has set there. Those of us who want to see God move do want to be theologically sound. We do want to evangelize our friends and the world. We do want to see our churches grow. The committed of this generation do want to be connected and make a difference. We have passion. We want to know God in a very personal, relational way. 

Yes, we Millennials can be flaky and under-committed. At times we seek an emotional experience and make it all about us. We can demand to be heard in ways that are not always God-glorifying. Our opinions often are too secular, too relativistic, and too immature. We can be apathetic. We can't stay off social media or stop watching shows on Netflix. 

But... we are what's coming up next in the scene of this world. That scares me because things are getting darker by the day. We are tasked with passing truth down to the coming generation and often feel less than affirmed as to how well we are doing that.

I often find myself wearing this face - 0.o - at the whole situation. Or this one: :/ .

The burden of proof rests with us. We have to prove to the older generations that we are the real deal. We have to get up off our lazy, internet-addicted butts and actually do all the things our minds, hearts, and spirits connect with so intensely instead of leaving it an idealized image in our heads. Older generations have the position to cherish their ideals about the good old days and how things "should" be all they want. The Lord has given them the task of leading us, and they are worried, suspicious, and frightened by all the trends we are immersed in.

As much as we may resent this mentality, we have to honor it in some way because we do need the wise counsel provided by these believers. We can't always dictate the matters of style we believe would be more effective for us and our friends. We have to do what we think we do best - connect with this past heritage and validate the good in it - while finding a way to communicate our vision for what the future has to look like if Christianity is going to survive us.

Again, scary. 

Daunting. 

I'm tempted to go back to communicating with emoticons right now.

What can we do?

What can I do?

Paul gave Timothy sound advice: Be an example to all believers. This includes being extremely authentic and loving while at the same time remaining or becoming extremely pure. Being absolutely above reproach in the way we live, minister, and have fun.

We need to get serious about the Bible and its commands, esteeming others as better than ourselves and just going out there and sharing our faith, no matter what the cost.

Our mandate is to worship God in Spirit and in truth wherever we are planted.

We should be the most loving, the best at reaching out to others of all age groups, the most unconcerned with trivial issues that don't matter in the scope of the gospel message and the soon return of Christ.

All of this is starting to sound like a to-do list that no one is really capable of handling, but the truth is that if we are walking in the Spirit on a daily basis, confessing sins and seeking direction for all of our decisions, God will equip us to do far more than we could ever do on our own.

Psalm 3:5-6 - I Lay Down and Sleep

I lay down and slept; 

I woke again, for the Lord sustained me.

I will not be afraid of many thousands of people

who have set themselves against me all around.

Psalm 3:5-6

I have always had trouble sleeping. My imagination gets away from me, forming new ideas, plotting stories, making plans, and ... worrying! It's difficult to get certain mental pictures of what could possibly happen in the future out of my head. At times, it's simply the stuff of every day life, but recently I have been thinking about bigger themes such as spiritual warfare and the end times. 

Spiritual realities such as how real and how powerful the forces of evil are really disturb me when I think about them too hard and too long. 

As believers we are called to think about whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, excellent, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8). The difficulty for me with contemplating spiritual darkness and demonic influence is the fact that it is true. Since it does exist, in my opinion, a biblical worldview includes a belief in and awareness of these issues. 

Watching end time prophecy play out in all of my online feeds is disheartening and scary. Too much imagination applied in these areas is not constantly helpful or needed. Yes, evil is real. Yes, Satan is real. Yes, the clock is ticking.

So what to do when it's time to actually sleep? How do I feel the peace of what I believe? How do I lay down and actually sleep? I'm finding that I have to renew my mind to the truth.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.” No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. 

And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39

Evil is not the only part of the story.

Evil has not won and will not win, no matter what happens.

God is the one who protects and sustains. He places a hedge of protection around those he has called by His name. Even if disaster strikes, His love is a constant reality in my life.

That is something that I can lay down into and sleep in.

John 5:6 - Would You Like to Get Well?

When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, "Would you like to get well?"

-John 5:6

I think that Jesus's conversations with the people he heals are so important. In this instance, he knows the man has been ill for an extremely long time and asks if he would like to be healed. The man doesn't instantly say that he does. He offers the details of why he hasn't been healed up to this point - he can't get to the healing pool in time. Jesus then tells him to get up, take up his bed, and walk.

I can definitely relate to this man's mentality. Instead of thinking about the answer to the question actually asked, he thinks only of the negative. What he can't do. This is probably due to a genuine disability to do so; he, in fact, cannot walk down to the pool fast enough in his condition. 

I know in my own life, sometimes the things I can't do start to look bigger than they really are as I focus on them. Sometimes, those things become excuses to not think outside the box or not do other things that I actually can do. I always wonder why this man hasn't already begged and pleaded with the people around him to put him in the pool or dragged himself a few inches every day. Maybe everyone was too selfish to help and his body was too weak to do even that. 

Weakness and infirmity are real and need to be engaged with compassion. Excuses need to be eradicated.

The only reason I insinuate this man could have been the cause of his own problem is what Jesus says to the man in verse 13: "Now you are well; so stop sinning or something even worse may happen to you." In either case, whether this man's inability to receive healing was completely legitimate or was caused by learned helplessness, Jesus doesn't acknowledge the obstacle the man presents. 

He issues a command: Get up.

The man is healed and obeys by doing just that. This is one thing I love about being in Christ. He heals us and enables us to do things we could never do otherwise. Did the man know he had been healed before he started trying to stand up? Perhaps he just had to obey what he was told to do having the faith that he would be able to do it?

Sometimes God's spirit moves that way, telling us to attempt something that seems impossibly crazy in the face of our own assessment of our ability level, real or perceived. Healing is from given from God, and we have to have clear sight and faith to see what areas He may be intending for us to walk toward.

Luke 19:10 - Lost

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.

Luke 19:10

What does it mean to be lost? 

There is so much darkness in the world, and it's easy to forget that all unbelieving people are on their way to hell. 

I don't like to think about hell. 

But... the truth is that hell is real. It's not an abstract place disconnected from our experience. 

It exists. 

It is horrible.

No one, fully understanding what hell is, would want to take the path that leads there, yet many people do choose it because they are lost.

The definition of lost is:

 unable to find one's way; not knowing one's whereabouts

This perfectly describes those who do not know the truth. For all, life begins and we all sin and are sinned against. We're all both the wounded and the wounders. We believe the lie, whatever it is to each one of us.

We're miserable without knowing the truth.

Poor, wretched, blind.

The scary part about it is, in that state, we don't even realize the true source of our problems - being disconnected from all that is light, life, and love.

Jesus came to save each one of us from that state of being lost. Through his sacrifice, we can be made right with God and come to find our way in Him.

The idea of someone being on the road to hell just isn't fashionable and feels judgmental. It's not an easy truth, and for me, the idea of uttering the simple statement: "You're going to hell," just seems so rude and uncomfortable.

But am I actually being compassionate if I see someone bent on destruction and don't try to show them how to avoid it?

My sensitivity to the reality of hell has been dulled with time. It's hard to think about people who I worry may be there, to fight back my all-too-active imagination to construct what they must be experiencing.

Tonight, I was freshly reminded of hell's reality - the fact that it is dark, it is terrifying, and that people are going there. While researching for this blog post, I came across some YouTube videos about near death experiences where people experienced hell. I know some are skeptical about NDE accounts, but I believe that some are valid. I went through such a range of emotions in just watching a few of these videos.

No, I don't need to dwell on the details.

No, I don't have to fear going there.

But it's my job to believe - and act - as though hell is a real place.

Luke 8:39 - Tell Them Everything

"No, go back to your family, and tell them everything God has done for you." So he went all through the town proclaiming the great things Jesus had done for him.

Luke 8:39

This is what we see the man who had a legion of demons cast out of him doing in the wake of his miracle. The demons are cast into swine and fall off a ravine and die. The town is so disturbed by this miracle that they beg Jesus to leave. The one who was healed wants to stay with Jesus, but he obeys Jesus's directive to go tell others about what had been done.

His story is one that shook the foundations of what the people around him could understand. The idea of someone powerful enough to cast out demons they had long feared was terrifying. I can only imagine the responses to the man's story as he proclaimed it. 

Shock. Awe. Belief. Hope.

As believers, we may not have stories that are as dramatic as this man's life, but we do have our stories. 

They matter. 

Our job is to tell them with the intensity with which we feel them. We need to share the details of who we were before and who we are now and who we, with God's grace, may become. This is the kind of stuff that everyone on earth hungers and thirsts for - the idea that we are loved, that we can be redeemed.

Our prescribed "testimony" of date, age, and place of salvation is not bad, but it's not as moving or as compelling as our personal narratives, the ups and downs of our relationship with Jesus. We don't need to tell every gory detail we've ever experienced in our lives, but we do need to be real and honest.

The world is looking for someone or something to connect with, and stories are the absolute best. Especially the stories that are true.

Luke 13:12-13 - You Are Healed

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said, "Dear woman, you are healed of your sickness!" Then he touched her, and instantly she could stand straight.
Luke 13:12-13

What impresses me most about this scene with Jesus is how deeply He sees into each person and his/her needs in a very compassionate way. Jesus is teaching when the woman comes in, and he heals her of the evil spirit which had crippled her for eighteen years. He halts his important teaching (disregarding the legalistic company he is in) to deal with a person who had possibly been written off as hopeless by the majority in attendance.

I'm also moved by the woman's courage. The text doesn't say that she seeks Jesus out for healing, but ... she shows up. I'd think in eighteen years' time she had tried everything to improve her condition, perhaps even seeking healing in the very temple she attends here. Maybe she had lost all hope of being cured. Despite her physical problems, she is still in attendance at the temple, indicating that, in the midst of it all, she hadn't given up her faith.

This woman reminds me to never give up in the difficult places. Sometimes we have a thorn in the flesh that isn't going to go away and must learn to lean on God's sufficiency. Other times God decides to heal us for His glory. We don't get to choose which situation we find ourselves in, and we don't know what God plans to do with our struggles.

All we can do is continue doing what we know to be right and good, trusting that God knows best and that he does see us, including the causes of and cures for what ails us.

Life Verse: Isaiah 61:3 - Beauty for Ashes

To all who mourn in Israel,
    he will give a crown of beauty for ashes,
a joyous blessing instead of mourning,
    festive praise instead of despair.
In their righteousness, they will be like great oaks
    that the Lord has planted for his own glory.

ISAIAH 61:3 

I have so many verses in the Bible that I go to, that have defined certain times in my life, but this one always grabs me. When I read it, if I think about it deeply enough, I'm almost always moved to tears. 

You want my testimony, uh, um... read this verse. 

In its context of Isaiah 61 and echoed in Jesus's reading of it in Luke 4:18-21, it always fills me with awe. Jesus says HE is the fulfillment of these words. Whoah. It's his mission to replace all of our negatives with the light of his grace.

Call it a chemical imbalance in my brain or call it a lack of faith, but mourning, feeling a spirit of heaviness has defined a huge part of who I am. Most of the time I fight it with all I have, but I don't always win. Obviously, I don't enjoy the state of being depressed. It is such a devastated wasteland. I can understand why people mourned in sackcloth and ashes back in the day. It's a perfect symbol of what is going on inside someone feeling that kind of emotion. 

But according to this verse, Jesus makes some kind of beauty out of these ashes. He replaces all that we have with all that He has, which is far better. Instead of mourning, there is joyous blessing. Festive praise - fun, joy, life, light - instead of despair. These contrasts have always proven true. I know the cycle is not over. I am not convinced that I will ever see depression completely eradicated from my life, but I am committed to returning and returning to the truth of the one who loves me.

I am encouraged by the image of our righteousness in Christ making us like great oaks that the LORD has planted. It is a work that He has done, conveying a steady continuance in the faith. It reminds me of Psalm 1, with the beautiful verse: And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper. 

That's the kind of abundant life I want to have.

John 15:13 - No Greater Love

There is no greater love than to lay down one's life for one's friends.

John 15:13

How do we "lay down our lives for our friends"? This is another phrase that is so often quoted that I had to google just to be able to wrap my mind around how this can be practically applied. Yes, Jesus laid down his life for us, so we should lay down our lives for our friends. In the verse right before this, Jesus says, "Love each other in the same way I have loved you." Unless we somehow find ourselves in the midst of a zombie apocalypse or The Hunger Games, I am not sure how I would end up following the literal meaning of this by physically dying for my friends and family like Jesus did for us.

Our laying down of our lives ends up looking a lot different than physical death, but it's still ... hard. Seeking to emulate the One who was willing to lay down His life to make a relationship right is a tall order.

Am I able to approach my friends with the selfless love of Jesus?

I've been sitting here typing and deleting a lot of answers to this question that, to me, all sound just, too ... generic.

I obviously can't do this. Even at my best, I still have ME in mind. For me, for any of us, living a life of sacrifice is going to come down to a work of the Holy Spirit empowering us to do what we really can't.

So.... list format here... random ideas... freestyle brainstorming... GO!

What can I do to lay down my life for my friends?

• Defer to others in the matter of preference.
• Your opinion does not always have to win.
• What does my friend need (food, clothing, a hug, a good sound kick in the butt)? Am I able to supply this? Am I willing to supply this?
• Do I seek first to understand my friends before I make myself understood?
• Do I forgive my friends?
• Do I have friends that are no longer friends because of one thing they said to me? Do I need to reconcile with those friends?
• Do I pray for my friends?
• Do I encourage my friends?

Obviously, a lot more could go here since Jesus's capacity for sacrificing Himself, showing  unguarded compassion, and forgiving sin are completely endless.

To become like Him, I have to die to myself...

Reference: Laying Down Your Life for Others - InTouch Ministries

Matthew 7:1 - Don't Judge

Judge not, that you be not judged.
Matthew 7:1

The idea here is that each of us has a perspective clouded by our own failings and hangups. Until we deal with the logs in our own eyes, we will not be qualified to remove specks from others' eyes. But does anyone ever reach the point where his/her sight is clear enough to see justly? No matter how conformed to the image of Christ I am, I am still not going to be Him.

I struggle with not judging others' motives, especially if my own warped perception feels it can attach a label of "judgmental," "legalistic," or "closeminded." For a long time I have screamed "freedom" and "grace," all the while never supposing that I was simply becoming a legalist who lived on the opposite side of the spectrum, doing and being what I hate.

Some people may truly be like the Pharisees and deserve every single one of those labels, but with time I've come to realize that it is not my personal job to call them out on it. Imagine my astonishment on finding out that some people I had disregarded and resented turned out to be completely different than I first thought. Others changed from what they once were.

Part of loving others is giving them the freedom to hold their own stance, whether you fully value it or not. Time will tell. God will judge. Trying to take His job from Him is just exhausting. Focusing on relationships and a person's good qualities does a lot more to build up the body of Christ than throwing stones ever will.

 

Matthew 15:28 - Prayer + Desperation

"Dear woman," Jesus said to her, "your faith is great. Your request is granted." And her daughter was instantly healed.
Matthew 15:28

This woman's persistence is impressive. Her plight - a demon possessed daughter - is desperate, and she absolutely refuses to give up begging for Jesus to intervene. She knows He alone is her daughter's chance at wholeness, so she does not allow herself to be intimidated by protocol - the racial and gender barriers of the day. She is willing to face scorn, misunderstanding, and repeated denials.

Her actions mirror effective prayer. Her faith and trust are so fully placed in Jesus that she makes an annoyance of herself when He tells her no. She is not passive. In boldness, she is not going to let this go without a fight. I admire her strength in enduring all she could for her daughter's only hope. It's the kind of endurance that comes only through a faith that refuses to give up.

I'm sometimes a little uncomfortable with Jesus denying her repeatedly when He so quickly acted on behalf of many others, but I believe this is the way He works. Sometimes prayers are instantly answered. Other times, often in our difficult places, we have to persist. Our faith is being tested. Not out of unfairness or unkindness but to help us grow into an increasing faith.

This scene is the epitome of James 1:3-4:

Because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

 Also, this reminds me of part of one of my favorite poems (which, it turns out, is a hymn):

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain.

-God Moves in a Mysterious Way

by William Cowper
(His story that I just learned - whoah!)

 

Mark 8:2 - I Have Compassion

I have compassion on the crowd, because they have been with me now three days and have nothing to eat.
Mark 8:2

Yes, Christianity is a deep worldview that can and has been analyzed and overanalyzed ad infinitum, but in this scene, Jesus demonstrates his tender (and practical) care for every aspect of our lives. Here we have a window into his heart. The multitudes probably would have stayed to listen to him and to be healed at the expense of their physical well-being, but Jesus had consideration for basic human needs.

The people had a need. He filled it. 

In this case it took a miracle to feed everyone present, but for us to show this kind of love to the world, all we have to do is notice what needs to be done. Sometimes we make our life and witness so complicated when it is so simple. Most people in the world today, even people whose lives are devoted to philosophy and deeper thought, are not in a constant state of pondering the depth of the universe. They are living their lives in real time and (consciously or subconsciously) looking for something to fill the deep spiritual hunger inside them - to know that someone cares and that they matter.

Coming at people with theological guns blazing can be very offensive, confusing, or just plain irrelevant at the moment when people are hungry, tired, stressed, irritable, or distracted. Because of this fact, I have always been hesitant when it comes to immediately asking complete strangers where they think they would go if they die. Maybe they have considered this. But, hello, I'm a perfect stranger. How is that my business? In addition, I always feel so ... insincere? procedural? I know that I myself do not want to be someone that anyone checks off their list. 

But truly caring about someone and helping them is not offensive. Showing concern or offering to pray for someone conveys that I care, and it gives me the opportunity to build a relationship with others. If my motive is, plain and simple, to act like Jesus and care, I feel that I am doing right and building a bridge that may someday be strong enough to carry those weightier questions about ultimate truth and our final destination.

It's about trust. Jesus showed that he cared in a small thing, which helps me understand that he cares in bigger things. Enough to do anything it takes to redeem and restore. Since I am trying to be like him, I need to be more practical and let my behavior be suited to the situation. We are meant to sow different seeds to different people.

All this being said, I realize I do err a little too closely to the side of the statement: Preach the gospel at all times. Use words if necessary. I absolutely agree with that, but I'm coming around to the middle a little more. The words are necessary, but they have to be paired with authentic love and compassion.

• See also: God feeds us with deep compassion - I came across this blog when I was searching for a picture to go with mine, and I feel like this captures the essence of what I wished I had written, but I ended up going in a different direction.

Mark 12:30-31 - Heart, Soul, Mind, and Strength

And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength. The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other commandment is greater than these.
Mark 12:30-31

These are the two greatest commandments - the things I should be dropping everything else for.

Jesus says we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. The phrase is so familiar to most believers that we are in danger of just reciting it without thinking about what each area entails. We love God, of course. It's why we even bother at all. But loving in theory and loving in actuality are not the same.

God wants my heart. He doesn't want me to serve him from a motivation of guilt or a performance-based mentality. He wants me to want to serve Him. I have to check my motives carefully. Just as in any human relationship, being involved with your heart means that you care, you have feelings about what you're doing, you are enthusiastic. You can't be a passionate robot. Passion involves your emotions, not a programmed response.

God wants my soul. I had to look up exactly what is meant by soul here because the idea of "loving God with your soul" sounded very abstract to me. The soul is the very core of yourself. Who you are. Your identity. So loving with your soul involves your choices, your habits, your SELF. I would describe myself as a Christian, wife, mom, reader/writer, INFP. But somewhere in there, in fact the most crucial part, should be the fact that I love God. I need to think of myself as a God-lover before any of those other aspects.

God wants my mind. This one is the hardest one for me. My mind is all over the place, and I don't mean that as a compliment. I feel like loving God with my mind requires me to exercise self-control in a lot of my mental habits, and bring my own understanding about things into alignment with God's understanding. There are so many verses that talk about breaking down mental strongholds, thinking only on what is pure and lovely, setting one's mind on things above. I could go on and on.

God wants my strength. I usually think of myself as being pretty weak. I have emotional struggles more frequently than I would like. Sometimes my skin is too thin. But the whole point here is using my strength. Only God knows the true measure of what we are capable of. Sometimes it's strength enough just to hold on. Sometimes it's strength to grow and push through pain. The working out metaphor is used for this all the time, but it's true. You can't keep the strength you don't use. Using more than you are capable of makes you stronger. It's the tearing of muscle fibers that builds them back up. Seriously, insert the whole concept of The Biggest Loser here in a spiritual context.

I am to love my neighbor as myself. Note: this does say that I am supposed to love myself. In this passage, loving oneself is a given. A personal pet-peeve of mine is when anyone derides the concept of "self-esteem." Yes, I know it is constantly misused, but a proper, biblical understanding of it has also brought life and peace to many. 

We are broken and flawed by nature, but in Christ we are chosen, accepted, pure, righteous - with our names inscribed on God's hands. We have value because he gives us value. Loving myself doesn't mean that I love myself with my heart, soul, mind, and strength because that is reserved for God. It does mean that I agree with God about my new identity and set healthy boundaries with myself and others.

Loving others as I love myself means that I think of others and think of how to care for them spiritually, emotionally, and physically just like I do for myself. Maybe some do have to go secure their own air mask before attempting to secure the air mask of others. But reaching out and loving is good for our souls. It takes the focus off of ourselves and helps us to truly be the body of Christ.

Luke 6:27-28 - Do Good to Those Who Hate You

But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.
Luke 6:27-28

This is such a hard teaching for me. 

I would love to say I am a mirror reflecting the graciousness of God in this area, but ... I'm not. 

At all. 

It's hard enough to walk in love toward people who I care about or feel neutral towards. 

But my enemies????

Does this verse really apply to me?

Can I pray for them exclusively in the way David prayed for his enemies in a few choice Psalms?

In all seriousness, I can handle or at least attempt loving, in an abstractish sort of way. I can try to manage to pray for an enemy.

But actually actively "do[ing] good" to someone who hates me or who has hurt me or someone I love? I'm visualizing this right now, and I don't like it. Not one little bit. Just typing that makes me feel like a horrible person, but YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY DID/SAID!!!

It makes me realize I've kind of been living out a version of this verse that would say, "Tolerate your enemies. Try to avoid those who hate you. Don't say anything too mean to those who curse you. Simmer under the surface about those who hurt you."

I'm kind of scared of where obeying this verse could take me.

I'm consciously adding it to the long list of things I need to pray and seek God about.

Awesome words from my homeboys, Tenth Avenue North: here.

Luke 7:47 - Forgiven Little or Much?

Therefore I tell you, her sins, which are many, are forgiven - for she loved much. But he who is forgiven little, loves little.
Luke 7:47

This is all about perspectives. All have sinned and initially share the same destination. Humanity is, by definition, flawed to the core. We who have been forgiven should all see ourselves as this woman did - amazingly grateful for being changed from darkness to light. Feeling the significance of what has happened so strongly that we can do nothing else but blubber and anoint Jesus's feet.

 

But the key is our perception. Not saying this in an absolute sense, but in general, I think it's harder for those who are "pretty okay" to fully understand the impact of the dramatic rescue Christ enacted and how much he paid for it. Sometimes it's hard for "forgiven little" people to own the seriousness of their sin, maybe imagining their sins as teeny, tiny drops in the bucket of sin Jesus paid for on the cross. After all, they're not Hitler, and they didn't do [insert thing here] or aren't [insert other thing here].

People who can fall into a "forgiven much" category, who have messed up bad, may be experiencing the serious consequences of previous actions in their daily lives. They feel the essence of their unworthiness, while at the same time accepting the gift that is redemption. They've been there. They've done that. So, as in the case of this woman, their love is passionate, driven, full.

The thing is, we've all been there and done that. If you've hated someone in your heart, you've committed murder. If you've stared a little too long at someone and imagined a little too much taking place, you've already committed adultery or fornication. The most "okay" person in the entire world has been forgiven the same amount of sin as the worst person that ever lived. Called.... all of it, should they accept the truth.

My story is pretty boring overall. Nothing too dramatic. I'm a flawed person who accepted God's grace early, continues fluctuating between trusting him and trusting myself, sometimes walking in the light, other times not. When I get lazy, I easily start adopting a "forgiven little" attitude and very cheaply esteem the grace in which I stand. When I really think about it, when God reveals a new thing I need to surrender to him or an area where I have been doing it all wrong, it's then I truly feel the weight of my sin and fully appreciate just how "much" I have been "forgiven."

 

[Notice that all the so-called lesser sins like performance and flattery are slightly hidden from the camera's view?]