We all have the capacity to do good and to mess things up. Remembering this allows us to live boldly while remaining humble – to offer our strength with compassionate understanding.
Sinners
Sin relates to our ability to screw things up. In our desire for life to work on our terms, we make a mess of things which leads to heartache and pain.
Sin is not reserved for just the big screw-ups in life such as having an affair or killing someone. It also includes our selfishness, laziness, and timidity. These also bring unnecessary hurt and suffering into our life and relationships.
Whether glaring or subtle, we all mess things up from time to time. As such, there is no room to boast just because our sin is different from someone else’s.
And because we are all in the same boat here, we should readily offer grace and understanding to each other, including ourselves.
Our shared experience gives us a common ground and opens the door for unity.
No longer do we have to look down on each other for our sins, but can now build each other up – seeking restoration and healing rather than shame and separation.
Saints
We also have the ability to do profound good. Through our actions and presence we can bring more joy, beauty, and life into the world around us.
This can also be in big or small ways. We might go on a mission trip or support a social cause that has a positive impact on the lives of many. Or we might write a note to someone grieving or have lunch with someone who is lonely.
We are all capable of goodness. This is not reserved for public figures or the perceived Super Christians. We are all saints.
As such, we should not let false humility hold us back from offering our strength to others.
We all have talents, gifts, and abilities that are uniquely ours to give, and it does not honor God to diminish what he has given us.
In fact, we screw things up (sin) when we play it safe and hold back on the full goodness he has given us.
Being saints does not eliminate our possibility of screwing things up. Likewise, just because we can make a royal mess of things does not discount our ability to also do profound good.
So, let us live boldly as saints, and with the humility of sinners.
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