Every morning I get a devotional in my email box from ACTS International - It's something I've come to enjoy over the past several years. This morning's email I found especially poignant. It's from I Hate Witnessing - A Handbook for Effective Christian Communications, by Dick Innes, pp.63-64 (2003 Edition).
"Get into the habit of admitting your sins to one another; so that you can pray for one another so that you may be healed." James 5:16What a great reminder to be real with each other about our lives, our struggles, our sin.
Em Griffin, in his book, The Mind Changers, says about today's Scripture: "This is the most ignored bit of advice I know of in Scripture, probably because we're afraid that people won't like us or trust us when they see how crummy we really are. But the reverse is true. They've got the same sin problem. As we openly reveal our innermost struggles, the plastic masks we wear begin to slip. Human warmth escapes and people begin to respond in trust."
As Richard Halverson, former chaplain of the U.S. Senate, said, "Only sinners can relate.
"Sinners enjoy authentic fellowship. Saints don't!
"People who pose as saints aren't liberated to remove their masks.
"Under pressure to project conventional piety, they are unable to open up and share themselves.
"Upholding the traditional religious image, they remain invulnerable in human relationships because they dare not expose their real selves.
"They major in propositions rather than persons . . . share their victories but never their failures . . . congratulate one another in their little mutual admiration society.
"Meeting head to head instead of heart to heart, protecting themselves against discovery, they ricochet against each other like marbles.
"The authentic saint is oblivious to his sainthood, deeply aware of his unworthiness, sensitive to his failure, confesses he is a sinner, which makes possible true fellowship.
"Sinners acknowledge their inadequacy, lean heavy on God's grace, and identify quickly with need in others.
"Recognizing all men are sinners, unwilling to hide from the truth, they share their weaknesses, confess their sin to one another, and do not fear vulnerability.
"They come together like crushed grapes, crushed and fragrant, dependent upon each other and God."
Listening to: My iPod - "Elements of Life" album by Tiësto
Reading: I've got a whole lot of books lined up to read now...just trying to figure out where to start :)
Crafting: I have the new stitching project - as well as a deadline that exists but hasn't been determined yet. So I'll probably be working on this thing every free moment I have just so it's done in time. Once it's finished I'll post pics :)
Studying: 'Living Beyond Yourself' by Beth Moore. Week 6: A Composite of Peculiar Patience - Still on week 6 - Actually got some good study in on the ski weekend which I found a bit surprising. Boy can I tell a difference in my thoughts and attitudes when I'm in the Word versus when I'm not :)
2 comments:
Thanks for this post Christine! It was very eye-opening!
I really enjoyed the post! What a great reminder!
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