Anti-Profanity

Sin is not about ME! Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. Me. I . . . I . . . I . . I love me! I am SO in love with me!

Sin is about God! I want to swear adamantly here! But that would be too easy and hipster-like to make my Point. Uppercase P because I’m convicted by my waywardness and would be spewing spit if I were saying any of this out loud. But it’s too early in the morning to do this, unfortunately.

Profaning me is stupid but cool and culturally acceptable enough for me to get away with just eye-rolls or a nice little Christian accountability slap. Gripping. No . . . please, really dig me in the ribs the next time you want to convincingly tell me to get my act together.

Profaning God should make me want to throw up and burry my face into the repentance carpet. And profanity is too serious for light-punch accountability from sisters and brothers in Christ! None of us should be smiling or laughing at sin. None of us should take lightly tarnishing the Lord’s holy name.

Okay, I’m giving up things that are profane.

- Bitterness towards others. Silly grudges. Gossip that I will have to account for when I see Him. The Pearly Gate scenario unfolds as follows:

Jesus: “Why did you slander them all the time while you still had a body? Did you know that they’re living a few doors down next to your shack on the corner of Street of Gold and Yellow Brick Road?”
Me: “Oh crap! You made us neighbors?! Well to explain . . . having grudges made me feel good. I didn’t have to deal with hurting as much when I was hurting the other person in my head. And it was more fun among friends to put people in boxes and tease them incessantly for things that they probably grew out of years ago. Wow – I sound so immature.”
Jesus: “Yeah, you do. How was that ever supposed to be glorifying to me? My silly, double-minded servant, enter into your Master’s sorrow over your pathetic pettiness.”
Me: “Yup, I’m an idiot.”

- White lies. Yes, I lie. Most people who care too much about appearing competent do. It’s so unnecessary and so stupid and very embarrassing to admit. At the root of it: Wanting the easy way out and thinking that in the end things are better for it. Wanting to look better than God, desiring the esteem of man over His and my pleasure more than His glorification. This is sin. This is profanity. So ridiculously foolish. I fasted from white lies for Lent once. I lied about not lying to my accountability partner. I’m so stupid. I care so much about me. Me. Me. Me. I need to get over myself and realize I’m going to fail, make mistakes, look foolish, will need to apologize, and will be embarrassed. God’s glory is so much more important than who I appear to be. And who I truly am is what God cares about and who I should care about.

- Idolizing my friendships over my relationship with God. Caring more about loving my friends and receiving love from them so that my priorities become grossly misaligned. Not just like a messed-up spine after sleeping in a bad position for too many years. But like . . . way worse . . . like the little bone disc things are in the wrong places! Wow – I am so not a bio major. I will never make another medical analogy that deviates from me communicating anything sensible. The profanity in this: Being so blind to the glory of God. He deserves to be worshipped and adored. To love and be loved by friends is such an incredible gift, but the question I need to be asking is: Am I loving God and pursuing the Giver of Gifts as much as I pursue and desire the gifts? He loves me so much more than anyone, and He is so much more deserving of my affection!

Okay . . . I’m done with my little personal confession. No! Not little! And I’m not done! I’m trying to stop belittling the weight of sin, and I want to stop seeing repentance as a once-a-week-at-church-before-eating-Jesus thing. Even if they seem small, white, grey, black, purple, fuchsia – sin affects how we see and experience God. We limit God in our sinfulness, and we limit His joy in Himself when we choose to take delight in ourselves over Him.

Bring your little lost lamb Home, my Shepherd.

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~ by helkuo on October 18, 2010.