Congratulations, It's a Son!

Paul notes, in the first chapter of his letter to the Galatians, that he was set apart from birth by God. A parent knows his or her child and loves this child dearly. When I walk in to a maternity ward, I see a gathering of tiny mutants freshly spawned from their respective pods. Of course I can see that babies are cute, precious, and all that. However, I don’t have the same sense of pride that a new parent has when he looks through the glass and sees a being that he would give his life for. Though this being has only existed for a relatively short period of time, its parents love it as unconditionally as they are capable of. Paul states that through grace he is set apart for the purpose of revealing God’s son. This is a larger responsibility than that of the maternity ward nurse that labels and keeps track of a child’s identity. This is the equivalent of taking the place of a child deeply loved by its parents. God didn’t give up his son for people incapable of this task.

Our responsibility as God’s chosen people is to expose his son to a world that doesn’t know much about grace or love. God knows that we are capable of so much more than the world would have us believe. So many forces in this life call us to find purpose within them. However, Paul states that he did not consult any man. Paul didn’t attempt to discover personal enlightenment or specialized training before doing the work of revealing Christ to the world. He simply left his old life behind in order to please God. God looks at us with the prideful eyes of a father. He has set us apart personally and knows we can succeed.

Sinless World Records

It is impressive and sometimes shocking to discover what human beings are capable of. I enjoy looking through the Guinness World Records books and finding the more ridiculous and obscure feats of human ability. For example, John Evans of England currently holds the record for “Heaviest Car Balanced on Head”. John was able to balance a 352 lb Mini Cooper on his head for 33 seconds. The longest finger nails of a female belong to Lee Redmond of the good old U. S. of A., who hasn’t cut her finger nails since the year I was born in 1979. Lee’s nails currently are measured at a total length of 24ft 7.8 in. Imagine being able to scratch your toes while standing straight up or worrying about skewering your eyeballs when scratching your head in pondering life’s mysteries.

I’m fairly certain I hold the record for most Skittles eaten in a single sitting, but no official record exists of the event. I did more than taste the rainbow, I engulfed it. I know one record I don’t hold is fewest sins committed. I constantly struggle with my imperfection and the resulting iniquities. Hebrews 12:1 reminds me that sin “easily entangles” us. Like 24ft 7.8 in of protein extending from one’s finger tips, sin will continue to grow if we allow it. Hebrews 12:1 also reminds me that we are running a race marked out for us. One doesn’t set records without perseverance. God has a goal set for us and the only way we will reach it is with diligence in removing all aspects of sin.

Coffee Sprinkler

The church in Laodicea, addressed by John in Revelation 3, had a problem that many of us struggle with today. The church in Laodicea was told that it was lukewarm, neither hot nor cold. There is little worse than craving an ice cold soda on a hot day, only to find that you never put your soda in the refrigerator. My little brother used to have the tendency to drink from whatever glass he found unattended in our home. This habit ended when he happened upon a two day old glass of coffee. His face contorted as he spit out coffee in various directions like a lawn sprinkler. As there is little purpose for a warm soda or room temperature glass of coffee, so is there little purpose for the lukewarm Christian. The Christians in Laodicea thought they needed nothing as they had already gained riches. They, like we often do, found a place of contentment and ceased to refine themselves.

The Christians in Laodicea became comfortable, stale, and weak. They were living what so many people call “The American Dream.” No matter how mature or educated we become in our walk with God, we still have much further to go. In 2 Corinthians 13:11, Paul tells the church in Corinth to “aim for perfection.” I know that I myself tend to think of perfection as so unattainable that I might as well not even try to achieve it. However, we must constantly find Satan’s targets and strengthen our defense in these areas. We must find new ways in which we can grow in spiritual maturity, educate ourselves in the knowledge of Christ, and use our gifts so that we do not become lukewarm.