Picking up from yesterday:
The Bible can be a rather harsh mistress at times. Take for example this line from Paul’s letter to the Hebrews which is nestled inside a lengthy recitation of deeds done in faith by the giants of same before Christ was born:
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.
Rather knocks the ol’ “what does it matter what I believe as long as I’m a good person” argument on its keister, doesn’t it.
Before anyone dredges up the “throughout history there have been good people doing good things who weren’t Christians” argument, please note there is no statement or insinuation that faith in Christ is mandatory for the performance of good works. All of us have the ability inside to do the right thing. We also have the ability to do the wrong thing. I refer to the post here from a few days ago:
Most everyone suffers from some form of lumpy theology disease, the symptom of which is being virtually unassailable in one area of temptation while in another putting up less resistance than overwatered Jell-O. The person who wouldn’t steal a crust of bread if they were in the last stages of starvation can’t keep their clothes on. The person for whom honesty is the only policy will do whatever it takes to make their bank account swell. And so forth.
The question isn’t can we do the right thing. Of course we can. That said, given the imperfection that lives in all of us and how the natural bent of that imperfection is toward evil, believing we can somehow create an environment where doing the right thing is first choice reflects a distressing unwillingness to admit who and what we are to ourselves. And naïveté is not a virtue.
Which brings us around to the starting point of this brief examination of things. Can it be any surprise that kids today are far more likely to shoplift, steal from each other and/or their parents, cheat at schoolwork, and lie whenever convenient while still perceiving themselves to be good? They do not know the sole true definer of good and evil, nor do they have the foggiest as to what (more specifically Who) lives behind said definer. They do not know the truth about God, nor the truth about Jesus, nor do they know Him. If they did, they would know truth. The truth is perception is not reality. Christ is, and all that comes from Him is.
Yet even for those who know Christ, doing the right thing is often the most difficult thing to do. Why? Regardless of whether you know Him, follow Him, and serve Him, you’re still you. The Scriptures often speak of being made a new person in Christ. Quite true. Reunion with the One who made you does bring new life and rebirth to your heart, mind and soul. But you’re still you. There is much truth in the sardonic comment stating wherever you go, there you are.
A Christian is still human. They still mess up. They’re still a mess. Oh, there can be dramatic improvements in mindset and behavior from where someone was before encountering Jesus. But total transformation into a kind, loving soul doing nothing but good deeds and the right thing 24/7? No. Not gonna happen. Ever.
It is a sign of both God’s tremendous love for us and His even more tremendous sense of humor that in spite of all our foibles and fumblings and failings He can and does still work with us and through us to share His love directly with others. We do a pratfall and immediately go into embarrassed prayer: “Lord, I’m a failure. I’m a failure because I fail. I’m helpless, hopeless and hapless.” To which He replies, “And you think I don’t know this? I made you, y’know. I say you’re invaluable to Me. You’re invaluable to others. Get up and get going. I’ve got your back. And stop arguing with Me about it, all right? It does not say, ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, waah waah waah!’”
Hopefully studies like the one referenced yesterday will serve as a wake up call. We do need to do it for the kids. They’re kids. They need adults showing the way. To do so, honestly and openly and unshakably rooted in faith, is the only way to create situations where they understand it’s seldom easy to do the right thing. But it’s the only thing to do that’s worth doing.
