Fool, Sluggard, Liar & Scoffer—which one am I?
Seriously!
It is easy to look at Proverbs and shake my head up-and-down in agreement. It is also easy to look in the mirror and wince.
When have I been one who has no sense, opening my mouth when I should not—a fool?
When have I been one who is lazy, allowing another to carry my load—a sluggard?
When have I been one who shades the truth, or misled—a liar?
When have I been one who stands outside the conversation, criticizing—a scoffer?
The illusion that I am somehow perfect, somehow without defect, because I know and love Jesus, is just that, and illusion.
I, no doubt, have been all these characters, and more.
That does not mean however that God’s grace does not abound.
Grace abounds—but there are two opposite positions I can mistakenly occupy.
First, there is the “not seeking to follow our Master” position. I am happy to accept His Grace, yet less intent on following. For me (and I expect for most Christians) I am not completely ignoring God. I may however have a huge blind-spot.
Proverbs, in its rather stark, black-and-white, portrayal of choices is seeking to startle me. Proverbs wants me to see, perhaps for the first time, my blind-spots and patterns that do not line up with God’s ways.
If I don’t “see them” I am the OBLIVIOUS SLUG.
“Seeing” these in myself moves me out of the “oblivious” state. If I can see them, the issue becomes if I am willing to receive correction. If I am not willing to do the work, then I remain a “SLUG”.
Second, there is this position where I am seeking to follow the Master but doing so with all sorts of my own striving—noting each time I fall short.
I call that position the STRIVING FOOL. Again, I note Proverbs cut-and-dry cataloging of life’s options. Yet when I strive apart from God, I feel like I am in this pothole.
I can read something that Proverbs says, “don’t do”, but I know that at times in fact do it!
But, the pothole can get even deeper—that is when I begin beating myself up.
Let’s be clear, it is important to receive reproof, to take correction, to by God’s grace get up from falling and press-on. That is completely different then self-condemnation.
Self-condemnation is the result of me trying to be perfect in my own strength. It starts with me behaving in a way that would indicate I actually think I can accomplish much in my own strength.
That is a ridiculous position to take, and yet I seem all too naturally to fall into this hole. It is as if I am looking at God, in essence saying, “See I am worthy of your love”.
The problem is I fall short, and then say to myself, “I am unworthy.”
What is the solution here? My answer sounds trite, but it is trying to stay with Jesus. To speak to him, to pray to him, to center your day around him. When I do, the grace is there.
How do you stay centered?