Cotton candy flavored grapes!

     I went to the grocery store and was looking through the fruit section when I came upon Cotton Candy flavored grapes.  Thinking there must be a typo I plucked one from the container and yes, they tasted like cotton candy!  Now, I confess to taking a single grape and eating same.  It's become quite common for the grazers like myself to enter the world of sampling in order to see if we really want to buy this or that.  What stopped me was the price!  You could have bought a third world country for the price on the container!  So, I didn't buy any and didn't feel much guilt for having tasted the fruit of the vine without permission.  But, that's what we do and then we rationalize and justify our actions so that we don't feel the guilt of sin.  To be clear, without permission I took/stole a grape and thought it would bee okay.  No, I sinned.  Just as Eve did in the garden, I did the same thing with the grape.  The results are simple:  I sinned and knew it was wrong.  My witness was compromised.  "Oh!", you say, "It's okay because others do the same thing."  Nope, it's not okay.  The grape police didn't arrest me but my conscious did.  Martin Luther found the same truth when as a teenager he joined his friends in going "out on the town" hopped a fence and stole some fruit.  The innocence we once had was ruined by the selfishness of our actions.  You maybe think this is petty and I shouldn't even be addressing the issue.  But, the issue is much bigger than a grape.
     Keep in mind I didn't have any religious or church experience growing up.  My life was filled with selfishness and disobedience to the law.  What happened after I became a servant to Jesus is the law was replaced with grace and my sins were forgiven.  That's what salvation is really all about.  So, why, do I still sin?  What is it that I haven't learned?  After becoming a Christian my vocabulary changed and I no longer swore (though at times I have) and took the Lord's Name in vain.  I was asked by a young upcoming pastor why I didn't swear.  I was shocked at the question and took a moment before sharing that Jesus was my best friend and I couldn't fathom using my friends name in that way.  That's the core of a relationship with Jesus...not acting offensively and bringing shame to the name of Jesus. Do I want to be an offense to Jesus?  Do I want to dishonor my best friend and Savior?  There is a hurt I feel when others take the Lord's name in vain.  So I don't and wish others wouldn't either.  In my personal life I strive to live in such a way that I don't show that I'm not His friend.  He stands with me through all things and it's the least I can do to stand with Him.
     I'm sorry I stole the grape and will return to the store to buy the container of grapes today.  Now is the time of Salvation the Bible says.  Now is the time to do what's right in the eyes of the Lord.  Now is the time to be an example and to not just talk about what an example should be.  Now is the time of repentance and letting the Holy Spirit search your and my heart to weed out any unconfessed sin.  Now is the time to choose to serve Jesus and not the world.  So what if everyone else does or is doing this or that.  As Joshua said, "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.  As Job said, "Even if he slays me, yet will I praise Him."  As Paul said, "It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives within me."  As Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."  We do have a choice both in the small things and the great things.  Choosing to look to Jesus instead of ourselves means having Jesus live through us.  This way we represent Jesus to the world.  Remember, it's always your choice.