Remember in the 80′s when you’d watch a sitcom and the character was deliberating about a moral choice? The scene would show the character and a little devil sitting on one shoulder and a little angel sitting on the other. The dialog would probably go something like this:
Devil: Who do you think you are taking photos here? (As he hurls the insults and condemnation) You don’t deserve it.
Me: Yup, I know a million other people who take way better photos than me. And I haven’t been the ideal Christian this week.
Holy Spirit: Is this about you or serving God?
Me: I know…it’s not about me. Give me stren…
Devil cuts in: You know you need to be in the back row. You have NO business being in the front row. Who DO YOU think you are? Just this week you blew it by doing this and this and this. You ARE NOT a perfect Christian!!!
Holy Spirit cuts in: YOU ARE NOT A PERFECT PERSON. You will never be perfect and if you wait until you think you are ready to serve then you are never going to be ready to serve.
Me: I know.
Devil: Whatever! You know you need to keep your a** in the back row. You’re a big ol’ sinner. You shouldn’t even be in the building. You’ll just ruin it for everyone. You’re such a hypocrite.
Holy Spirit: You are a big ol’ sinner but God gives forgiveness and grace. If God needed perfect people then there would be no apostles, no churches, and He would not have had to die on the cross. Just be obedient!
Me: Right. I know. So then I’ll just hang out back here, in the back row.
Holy Spirit: Back row? Did Jesus die for you so you could be in the back row? Is that really why God gave you a camera?
Me: But this isn’t like shooting weddings and school events. You have to be more sensitive.
Holy Spirit: Why do you call Me Lord? Don’t you have My power in you? Did I give you FULL FORGIVENESS and a FULL MEASURE so that you could be in the back???? Am I in charge here?
Me: Right, Lord.
So I ended up in the front, even though I really wanted to remain inconspicuous in the back. In the back row, I would have half-listened while I thought of all the reasons why I needed to stay in the back. (I’m not saying everyone that sits in the back is only half-listening).
But as I sat in the front and listened to all these beautiful ladies as they bared their imperfections, flaws, and embarrassments I realized why I needed to be the sinner in the front row–precisely because I didn’t deserve to be in the front row. I don’t deserve God’s perfect and gracious gift of love. But why would I turn down a beautiful gift? It’s like being rescued, a breath of desperately needed oxygen! Or like that Thanksgiving meal that tastes so good you just want to eat and eat and eat, except without the bad side effects.
God redeems those imperfections, flaws, and embarrassments, and bad intentions and mean thoughts to bring good and glory. It is in the midst of imperfection that God shows you how much He loves you. God doesn’t need perfect people; He wants obedient people. And there is no end to God’s love and grace that we ALL get to sit in the front row.
No, God doesn’t wink at sin and He is no bully like the devil. But He will deal with you in love and grace; like that good talk that tells you that you were wrong, don’t do it again, but you can be better.
Redeem the time…just put one foot in front of the other in obedience.
We hear their voices on the radio and here are there radiant faces. I was so happy to meet these two beautiful ladies: Joyce and Isabelle. I was blessed to spend some time with you both.
i wanted to go go but couldn’t make it, i’m so happy you posted it. Thank You! for sharing. Was it amazing?
xoxo,
aime