To Encourage and Inspire

At the Homeschool Convention last month, one of the keynote speakers was Lorrie Flem. Her workshops inspired me so much, as did my personal encounters with her, that I subscribed to her magazine, TEACH. I also purchased some back issues that looked interesting and I have, in fact, felt uplifted by the words I find within their pages.

This quarter's issue arrived this week and I have been slowly working my way through it's pages. The theme for this issue is "Purity: In the "Purest" Sense of the Word". I found myself enraptured in Lorrie's introduction to this issue. The following articles drew me in farther to facts I only consider in passing or take for granted.

One of my favorite Bible passages is, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" Romans 3:23. It may seem like a bleak passage to be so passionate about. However, it leads me to think of what comes next, "But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

We all sin. Yet God loves us so and sent us his Saviour that we might have everlasting life.

Many people look at Christians has uppity-up. Some Christians even look at each other and think, "I can never attain that person's level of purity". But the fact is, none of us are pure. For we live in the world of man only but striving for the world of our Heavenly Father. When a Christian seems practically perfect yet claims they too are falling short of the Glory of God, we waver in belief because they seem like they have it together. 'How could they dare say that... they have it all!' But the fact is, the mouth speaks what the heart feels.

Kindness can beget kindness. Good deeds do make a person look pure. Words of love demonstrate a heart devoted to God. BUT. Yes, BUT... that does not reflect the small voice in our head that loves to tell us we aren't good enough! We don't escape the small pleasures that, by God's law, are equal sins to those of the Hippocrates.

A heart striving to be pure may still fall into the act of judging (Judge not and ye shall not be judged, Luke 6:37). A mouth seeking to spread the word of God, may fall into the sin of spreading the word of Gossip instead. The list of sins we consider "small" goes on and on: envy, boasting, idleness, discerning who we should help or be kind to.... But the fact is, all sins are equal in the eyes of God and ALL fall into the trap of at least one of these sins from time to time.

So my epiphany today was this: When I read or hear the words of someone that I perceive is near perfect and in the favor of God saying they are far from perfect and "fall short" continuously, I can trust that. Why? Because when I strive to be "perfect" and fall short and then feel worthless of His kingdom or this one, it is OK... everyone does. Even if we don't see those 'weak' moments in others... those moments are still there.