Following the lead after the latest post from Erica Wright, I have a confession of my own to share. My hope is by the time you finish reading this, that you will be encouraged by a fellow sinful, brother in Christ.
I love technology. I love social media. I love scripture. I love encouragement. I love Jesus.
Now that we have covered multiple areas that I love (obviously my wife and daughter are on this list as well), let me put this into context a little more for you.
Being that I love those things mentioned above, I am also a big fan of mixing them together. Whether that is posting a status, composing a tweet, or writing a blog post, I typically can’t think of much else to write about outside of Scripture and about Jesus. I just figure if I am going to proclaim something to the world and I am a believer, what better thing to post?
I get excited at the thought of possibly posting a verse that just might impact someone right where they are as soon as they read it. Almost as if God was directing all that to happen at that specific moment of time to reach someone else, which I believe He does. Even if someone is not a believer, they at least get truth to read during that day and there is no telling how it could impact them.
Not too long ago I posted Scripture on Facebook hoping it could encourage and comfort those who read it. A friend of mine decided to “Like” the post. Later on that day I was using my phone, got a notification of the like, and immediately it happened. (Here is the sinful confession). I immediately judged the person. Thoughts rushed in my mind like “why would this person like this scripture,” “they aren’t even a believer,” or “so they agree with this but don’t even live it out.” Wowzer! Am I the sinful person here? The answer is a resounding YES. At that moment I was taken back at the thought of just how quickly I wrote someone off even in the midst of doing something with the intention of encouraging and comforting others. I quickly confessed and prayed.
“Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.” – Philippians 2:3
It seems like if it was a christian, I’d be excited about that. If it was someone who claims to not believe in Christ, I’d be excited about that. What if it was neither one of those options though, and I just wasn’t sure at all? Why wouldn’t I be excited regardless of who’s reading it, it is God’s Word! God immediately reminded me that for however long I’ve been a believer, and until Jesus returns or I die, I will be sinful. In fact, I will be the most sinful person I know. Thankfully, I realize more & more that the Cross gets bigger each and every day of my life.
I am freshly renewed in my love for God and my love for others (that had to be lacking due to a sinful, judgmental attitude) and out of that overflow, I am encouraged even more to share God’s Word, to talk to more people about Christ, and to see every single person as unique and made in the image of God. The posting of a status, composing of a tweet, or writing of a blog post will most definitely continue as I believe God will use it for encouragement, comfort, and even sanctification of myself.
“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” – Romans 5:8
I praise the Lord for the fact that as I continue to grow in awareness of my sinfulness, that I grow in awareness of God’s holiness. I praise Jesus for paying the penalty for my past, present, & future sin that I could not pay by dying on the Cross and then resurrecting from the dead and defeating death. I praise the Holy Spirit for rebuking, correcting, and leading me to holiness one day at a time. I hope that as a believer, you wouldn’t think of God grading you on a scale of performance, but rather believe and trust in the fact that there is no scale and that when God sees you, He sees His Son.
Feel free to comment below and join the conversation in ways God has sanctified you as a believer. It could serve as great encouragement for anyone reading this.
Thanks, Mike, for this word of encouragement – timely too! I usually have other Christian poets and writers in mind, either with our Facebook group or as readers of whatever I’m writing at the moment. But this very morning, when I saw the Lord’s Prayer/ Our Father in the daily Bible readings, it occurred to me how this prayer and the name of Jesus bring unity to the Body of Christ and send forth prayer power for people outside the church too. I posted a traditional version and also a contemporary prayer-a-phrase on the Bible Prayers blog with prayer that… Read more »
Thanks for the kind words Mary!
Great post Mike, enjoyed it.
Thanks so much! Appreciate it!
It reminds me of a church I used to attend. People used to judge my church because there were a large number of people who attended “for the wrong reason” – primarily to meet and date the large attractive singles population. My response was always the same: “They hear the same message from the pulpit as everyone else, regardless of their reason for attending.” Sometimes what might seem impure can be made pure.
Good word Sue, there seems to be times regardless of our intention that God uses that for His Glory and to bring people to Him, awesome!
It is easy to judge others, because in doing so we elevate ourselves. The problem is that when I elevate myself, God can not elevate me to his level.
Thanks for the comment Barbara. The irony in that is as we elevate ourselves like we are superior to the sinner, we in that moment are sinful ourselves and have lost sight of the Cross. Kind of like saying Jesus died for no reason. Thanks for posting!