Tag: justified

Your Glory

Published on by amylinneaLeave a comment

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense. Proverbs 19:11

This verse is not an easy one to read.

It’s way more fun to keep an offense, especially when you’re completely justified.

And we always are justified in our own mind, yes?

Looking at the first part, it’s easy to understand.

When we have good sense, meaning solid countenance or common sense, we don’t get angry often.

We don’t allow anger to grab us when we are in our right minds.

Trouble is, other people cause us to exit our good sense, trying to justify our offense at them.

After all, they wronged us! It’s not fair!

When we have good sense, we focus on Whose we are.

Our feet are solidly planted in our relationship with God first.

We know God is living through us, and we fully trust Him to provide us His strength, wisdom, and peace.

Could even be that we ask God how to react before we do. We train our brain to do just that. Putting God first.

So, back to the ouchy part of the verse: not taking offense.

Proverbs says it’s our glory to overlook an offense.

Means we could be offended, but we choose not to be.

Because we remain peaceful, the glory is still ours.

Our mood isn’t in the toilet.

Clouds are not hanging around.

Others can be down in the dumps, but we’re not.

It’s still sunny where we’re at, because we are choosing not to associate with the other person’s offensive behavior.

It’s their problem, not ours.

Is it more fun to take their offense and make them pay?

Sure.

But in the process, you are robbed of peace. You are robbed of minutes or hours, stewing in what they did to you. You are robbed of God’s glory shining through you.

Jesus could have put people verbally down so many times, but he regularly chose to overlook offenses.

And glory remained His.

You can pity others, if it helps.

You can feel badly they are stuck in the mud of getting back at life.

But don’t stay there or you’ll think of yourself as better than them.

And that’s almost as bad as keeping an offense.

So shrug them off.

Remain steadfast in God’s good sense.

And keep your glory as you overlook the other’s offense.

It’s hard, but it’s completely worth it.

Photos by Ingmar H, Gene Dizon, Patrick Fore, & name_ gravity on Unsplash

Justified Sin

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

It’s just the way I am.

It’s how God created me.

Nothing I can do about it.

How do you justify sin in your life?

Could be as simple as overeating or having one too many drinks.

But I deserve it, you might say.

Deserve what? Altering your body size or clarity of mind as a reward?

Confusing.

What if you like stealing. Could be from an actual store, or could be padding the expense report from work.

Again, you deserve it, I get it. Heard that before.

What if you’re attracted to the same sex? Bible calls that sin, too, when you act upon those urges.

But that’s the way I’m made, you say. Can’t help it.

Or even more popular: sleeping with your significant other outside the covenant of marriage.

Any sin can be justified. In our minds, we can satisfy our conscience with putting ourselves at the very top.

Don’t have time for children, so, putting myself first. I’m going for that abortion. After all, it’s my right.

Looking over these arguments, a theme emerges: justification of sin.

If you remove the moral plumb line, God’s decree of right and wrong, moral relativism moves forward.

That’s the notion right and wrong are different for different people who believe different things.

Societies fall when adhering to this philosophy.

And folks, we are close.

I’m justified to assault a judge because they ruled against my “rights”.

I am defacing this historical statue because it stands against my “rights”.

I am attacking a store owner because he won’t give my girlfriend her chips for free. That is her “right”.

Entitilism. Justification of sin. Demands.

All goes back to the moral plumb line of right and wrong.

C.S. Lewis reminds us “conscience is nothing more than the voice of God within our souls; the bridge that links the creature to the Creator.”

Pray with me for our homes, our country, and our world that the conscience of God deep within their souls will once again be heard.

We must return to listening to our conscience, created by God for determining what we know is right and what we know is wrong.

Justifying sin only allows it to continue with normalcy.

We all have tendencies to sin. Some greater than others. But justifying them as simply the way we are doesn’t cut it.

Take back responsibility, aligning yourself to God and the moral plumb line deep within your soul.

Photos by Maksym Kaharlytskyi, Ben Wicks, Jonathan Borba, & Aaron Burden on Unsplash

Slow Slide

Published on by amylinnea2 Comments

Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today”, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. Hebrews 3:12-13

Satan rarely enters with a bang.

He rarely announces his presence, coming through our choices instead.

It’s usually one choice.

That leads you to another.

And another.

And another.

And before you know it, you don’t recognize the path anymore as you’ve veered away from God.

It’s rarely fast; it’s usually slow.

So slow, you don’t even notice.

Panic from not studying, you glance at your friend’s test paper.

Just one look.

Just one answer.

Never again, you tell yourself.

That was easy.

Next time, it’s even easier.

Justified in your mind.

You sneak a pack of gum into your pocket without paying.

At home, the gum doesn’t taste as good as you thought, but it was free.

The next time it’s easier.

Justified in your mind.

You start spending alone time with a person of the opposite gender.

Lots of time.

But you’re married.

The friendship grows.

Becomes more.

One day at a time.

Justified in your mind.

Satan rarely announces the wrecking of your life.

The justification he wants you to follow.

How do we keep doing exactly what God wants us to do?

We must weigh everything with Him.

Ask Him.

Ask Him about everything.

He’s always right there, wanting to help you.

I Peter 5:18 reminds us to Be alert, be on watch! Your enemy, the Devil, roams around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.

It’s possible to love God and remain passive.

I’ve seen it multiple times as little sins become big, building up and refusing to leave as pride takes over common sense.

Lord, may we seek Your will in all we do.

Please guide us into Your plans and give us Your wisdom for every little thing.

Amen.

Photos by Markus Spiske on Unsplash