Ever met anyone who piously claimed to have escaped childhood and the terrible teens unscathed by all the immoral voodoo that gets so many others—YET, this person seems anything but godly?
Let me explain. There’s an old joke about Baptist living and rules that says,
“Don’t smoke.
Don’t chew.
and don’t go with girls who do!”
Hilarious, huh?
But here’s the point. A lot of us have “lists” we sort of carry around in our head of what a good Christian looks and behaves like. These lists are often ‘handmade’ rather than ‘God made.’ Most times they contain the obvious, like, 1. Murder 2. Stealing 3. Lying, etc. But sometimes others (Ones God says He hates) are mysteriously missing. It’s a tiresome way to not only live, but to expect others to live too because it’s not only impossible to adhere to a list, but even more impossible to apply to it to others. When that happens we do more damage than Michael and Jason (Halloween and Friday the 13th) combined! At that point though we may not be “Children of the Corn,” we’re something far worse…
“Children of the List!”
And we place yourselves and others under crushing burdens of legalism that eventually squeeze the joy right out of them.
Shame on us.
But, there’s good news. I think I can help. And it begins with a whole lot of list trimming—a whole lot of list refining, and list replacement. I’ll even give you a hint before tomorrow’s post.
It involves trading your list for His (God’s). A good trade any day of the week, because His list is a whole lot shorter.
See you tomorrow.
And don’t be late! That’s one of the things on my list!