Just admit it. You get a little bit of a thrill out of it. Someone does something wrong, and you find a little bit of joy in telling them off. It's okay to admit it. You're human. You're going to find joy in pointing out the faults and flaws and sins of others. Just admit it.
This week, I have been engaged with the prophet Jeremiah. I've been reading through his words as part of my preparation for Advent. And throughout the early part of his message, there are some themes that definitely come to the forefront. God's people had sinned. They needed the message of repentance spoken to them. They needed to have the error and sin of their ways pointed out to them.
Now, you might think that Jeremiah would find some joy in that. After all, in our day and age, you simply have to turn on the TV to see people shouting about the sins and faults of others. Some do it for attention, others do it simply because they like to see others knocked down a peg or two. And why should Jeremiah be any different? He's human like us, right?
The thing is, you almost get this sense that Jeremiah will faithfully point out what God's people have been doing in their sin, but it's with a sense of regret. It's almost as though Jeremiah doesn't want to do it, and not just because he knows how the people will react. He doesn't seem to get any joy in telling God's people off. It doesn't seem to boost his ego or make him seem to be better than they are.
No, Jeremiah hates that he has to speak this message to God's people. And in that, we find much that would guide us in wisdom. Jeremiah sees the need for God's people to hear the message of repentance, yet he hates the fact that it has to come to them. Because he has been set aside by God to do this, it's not like Jeremiah is gaining anything from pointing these matters out. There really is no joy in the telling.
I've know quite a few people in my life who seemed to take some amount of joy in letting others know about their faults. I've even seen that in myself from time to time. And that's where Jeremiah reminds me that I really shouldn't find joy in pointing out people's faults or flaws. Sure, they may need to hear about it, but not in such a way that it boosts my ego, or makes me seem to be better than they are.
As I think about this matter, it truly strikes me just how humble God looks for His people to be. Not only in the pattern of our lives, but even in the way that we show others their sin and fault. Always with an eye toward God's reconciliation and forgiveness, and not in order to make ourselves more than we ought. Another hard lesson from the Bible!
This week, I have been engaged with the prophet Jeremiah. I've been reading through his words as part of my preparation for Advent. And throughout the early part of his message, there are some themes that definitely come to the forefront. God's people had sinned. They needed the message of repentance spoken to them. They needed to have the error and sin of their ways pointed out to them.
Now, you might think that Jeremiah would find some joy in that. After all, in our day and age, you simply have to turn on the TV to see people shouting about the sins and faults of others. Some do it for attention, others do it simply because they like to see others knocked down a peg or two. And why should Jeremiah be any different? He's human like us, right?
The thing is, you almost get this sense that Jeremiah will faithfully point out what God's people have been doing in their sin, but it's with a sense of regret. It's almost as though Jeremiah doesn't want to do it, and not just because he knows how the people will react. He doesn't seem to get any joy in telling God's people off. It doesn't seem to boost his ego or make him seem to be better than they are.
No, Jeremiah hates that he has to speak this message to God's people. And in that, we find much that would guide us in wisdom. Jeremiah sees the need for God's people to hear the message of repentance, yet he hates the fact that it has to come to them. Because he has been set aside by God to do this, it's not like Jeremiah is gaining anything from pointing these matters out. There really is no joy in the telling.
I've know quite a few people in my life who seemed to take some amount of joy in letting others know about their faults. I've even seen that in myself from time to time. And that's where Jeremiah reminds me that I really shouldn't find joy in pointing out people's faults or flaws. Sure, they may need to hear about it, but not in such a way that it boosts my ego, or makes me seem to be better than they are.
As I think about this matter, it truly strikes me just how humble God looks for His people to be. Not only in the pattern of our lives, but even in the way that we show others their sin and fault. Always with an eye toward God's reconciliation and forgiveness, and not in order to make ourselves more than we ought. Another hard lesson from the Bible!
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