It’s such an irony, God. Church should be the place where we can “own” most fully who we are, both good and bad. Church is where we gather in the name of Jesus Christ, the one who reorients our whole identity and assures us that we are, indeed, precious to God, in spite of our limits and shortcomings. How ironic it is, then, that we so often hide in church, revealing only our best self and burying the self we are less proud of.
No wonder so many outside of our ranks consider us hypocrites, shining our shoes for Sunday but leaving our homes and families a mess. And how many of our own have left in shame or frustration because they feared our judgment?
Through your gift of Jesus, your son, you showed us that you love us, without condition. “Righteous through faith in Christ” is our mantra. Why do we so quickly doubt what Jesus came to accomplish?
This message is adapted from “Measuring Up” written by Catherine Malotky in the April 2004 issue of Lutheran Woman Today (now Gather magazine).
reply
retweet
favorite