Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Accept the Penalty

It's clear to most of us that having wisdom comes with realizing when and how to reveal knowledge.  Nobody really likes the statistician; even in sports conversations the dude who sounds like a box score gets ignored sooner or later.  And it's definitely not a bad thing to know a thing or two...or 200, but some things were meant to just be understood while others should be shared with a select few. Operating like this gives way to the paradoxical slogan 'being strong in humility'; and is the basis for Jesus Christ's "speck and plank" lesson (Matthew 7:3-5).


The only-God-can-judge-me guy (including the times I was that guy) is hilarious to me sometimes, though I do a pretty good job of not laughing out loud at him.  It usually seems that in his Tupac-like rant he spends a lot of time expressing how everyone else has also done something as wrong as he did, and therefore has no right to have an opinion of his action.  You don't get a lot of apologetic talk from him no matter the offense, but you know...WWJD.  Maybe it's just me, but the yeah-I-did-it-and-what guy is more logical.

Ironically, the only-God-can-judge-me folks that know [in print] that Jesus Himself endorsed being non-judgmental take full advantage; and some pull that speck and plank card out on the quickfast.  But actually, this is one of those things you probably don't proclaim in support for yourself--for that in itself is being judgemental (you judged yourself to be innocent by your standards).  Instead you just live by it without the advertisement.  Besides, for us who are in Christ, humility and love should freely function consistently in our revived personalities.

You can't sugar coat the fact that sin can produce any negative result possible; and those that make the decision to partake in it essentially invite all the knocks that come with act.  So it should be obvious that we Christians, who know the regs and promises of God; going against them (possibly considered a blatant act of rebellion - see James 1:22-24) is almost like putting a hit on our own head.  We essentially deny the freedom from sin we were gifted and instead return to sins' oppression and the misfortunes that generate from it.  Of course we all have done or still do it; rejecting what God commanded without hesitation. But to couple wrongful acts with calling someone else a hypocrite in Jesus' Name-- well it kinda sucks the humble right out of being a Christian.  More than likely, the best thing to do is to repent, apologize, and walk away determined not to repeat the offense.

Leave the ref alone; take the penalty and get back in the huddle.

Peace 

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