Knowing myself as much as I'm able to at this time is scary. Perhaps you can relate? Yes, I know that I am a child of the King and that He loves me. But then, he made me, knew me before he made me, and knows everything I will think, do and say for the rest of eternity. Somehow that's unfair but He is God after all. Part of the dilemma that we face as people is that we have this crazy function called memory. Memory comes in whenever we are awake or about to think, do or say something. Okay, that's all the time. Because of my memory I learn lessons about myself as well as others. I learn about the deviousness of the human race. The selfishness that follows can not endear us to anyone. Yet, that's what we do. Well, maybe not all the time, but on an all too frequent basis. Instead of preconceived notions of who I am based on by memories of my past; perhaps the warning label should be determined by what I will think, say or do NEXT based on who I am currently. For instance, I'm not about to take my car out and race up and down the streets and roads tearing up the town anymore. But I might stop at a red light and ask the person in the car next to me if they know Jesus. See what I mean?!
Warning labels are based on predictability. Predictability is based on consistent behavior. Consistent behavior is based on general and specific beliefs. General and specific beliefs are based on who we are in Christ. Who we are in Christ is based on how much of our life we are willing to surrender to him. Surrender is based on trust and desperation. Desperation? Yes. It seems that so many of our current warning label is based on desperation. How desperate am I when I walk into church, the store, a social gathering? What am I desperate for? That's the easy one. We (I) am desperate for three things: love, acceptance and approval. Should those three elements be present the warning label gets smaller and more harmless. The less those three exist in any one's life, the warning label gets larger and with more danger. So, who am I? Who are you? What do we have in common and how can we help each other be loved, accepted and approved? This is where things get kind of tricky. We, all of us, want to be free from the past. We, all of us, want to be seen for who we are and not who we were. We, all of us, would like to live with a clean slate.
What's so difficult about that? Why can't we do just that? There are two forces at work within our world and within us. The first is the world we live and breathe in. The second is the world we live and breathe in. Okay, maybe that's confusing. We live schizophrenic lives. On the one had we live as believers, a new creation, no past, forgiven and reborn as new believers in Jesus. On the other hand we live in a fallen world that continually reminds us of our failures and misgivings. Out sins if you will. The thought that we can and should have balance between the two is incongruous with the Bible. We cannot live divided lives. We aren't to be two faced. We are to be singly focused on who we are in Christ. Tough to do when the people around you remind you of what a horrible rotten sinner you were. Why is it we don't believe God and his word? He says that we are his creation and when we've come to him he washes us whiter than snow. He forgets our sins and remembers them no more. The real warning label should be that we live as forgiven, loved, accepted and approved children of the King. People should be able to look at us believers and say, "Wow! That person is a child of God! We'd better be right with God ourselves!"
Yep, I come with a warning label. I'm sure that there are plenty of warning labels others have for me. That's their labels. My warning label comes from God. Watch out, he prays. Watch out, he knows Jesus. Watch out, he preaches. Watch out, he loves. You get the drift. What does your warning label say?
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