This blog is typically written in the plural first person, but for this subject, I am writing in the singular first person, evident in the fact that I just wrote ‘I’.
The reason for that, is that this subject is incredibly important if you want to have a faithful approach to fixing big problems. This idea is not original, I did not come up with it, indeed you should hope that nothing I write is truly original, because that would be a rather good indicator that it was not trustworthy.
A number of factors, including the proliferation of the internet, the advent of international community and coordination, and the reality of a Big Sneeze that has visited every country, have meant that many people today, and young people especially, are looking to the world’s problems, and trying to fix them.
If you read Dr Jordan Peterson, the lobster king, you will be familiar with the adage ‘clean your room’, which is a shorthand way of saying ‘fix your own domain up before you fix the world’. In turn, Peterson acknowledges the origin of this concept in Scripture, specifically in Jesus’ famous teaching about ‘taking the log out of your own eye before taking the speck out of your brother’s eye’.
Like you, gentle reader, I am a sinner. Though Christ has made me alive, declared me righteous, and is conforming me to his image day by day, I still have a sinful nature to battle with, and that sinful heart is a constant factory of idols. It isn’t fun to write that, but if you truly are a Christian, you know what I mean, and you will be giving your amen, because it’s the same story for you.
I need to take accountability and responsibility for the consequences of my actions. That probably sounds quaint and obvious, but is unbelievably difficult to execute. I must confess that even in situations where I have seen consequences on the horizon, I have still proceeded forth. Then, when the pain or disgrace of reaping what I have sown is before me, I am pleading with God for mercy. Undeserved, so undeserved, almost inappropriate, since I knew what I was getting into. But that’s just it. God loves me even then, and does not want me to wallow in shame for a moment before running back to him. I imagine that this is what the songwriter was feeling when he wrote those oft sung words,
Prone to wander, Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
Here’s my heart, oh take and seal it
Seal it for Thy courts above
Come Thou Fount
The heart that has been resurrected by God’s Spirit is a heart that longs to be bound to righteousness. It is for this reason that I, with Paul, am glad to be a slave of Christ, for He is the safest dock in which to be moored.
Esteemed reader, it is the advice of giants of the faith before me, and my own experience, that a deep and true acknowledgement of your own sinfulness is actually a key to freedom from bitterness and a resentful attitude. The easy thing to do when faced with an unpleasant situation is to blame other people, but the wise thing to do is to firstly acknowledge the part you played in making it worse, and if possible remedy that, before you start pointing fingers. I will admit, I have complained about ‘the problem with society’ or ‘the problem with the opposing political party’ or ‘the problem with that Karen at church’. On the other hand, have you ever heard me in smalltalk mention ‘the bad habit I contribute to in our society’ or ‘the bias I have that the opposition political party rightly criticises’ or ‘the sinful attitude I brought to my interaction with a lady at church’? Sadly, the answer is probably no.
Having had more close encounters with sin that I care to admit, I can firmly say that my ongoing repentance and holiness should be my top job. Spiritual pride comes on quickly, oh so quickly, like a fully locked rear naked choke (Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu reference, nothing NSFW). So I can say, and if you are a Christian I hope you can say with me, that my sin is something that I see clearer and clearer the more I try to uproot it and destroy it. It is something that seems larger and larger the more you abhor it.
In fact, it is right and good to feel that way, because only the Holy Spirit produces in you a righteous sorrow in the face of your own sin, and you should be glad to see the outworking of the Spirit’s work in your life.
It astounds me, when I have just come to my senses after an angry word or an impure thought, that God isn’t going to give me ‘one last chance’ one day, and then finally cut me off. God is somehow, amazingly, glorified in his monergistic act of saving me. He saved me by himself, for himself, and from himself. And oh, how grateful I am. O, for a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer’s praise!
Postscript: for a similar engagement with this issue, please check out this article written by a dear brother of mine. For a wonderful song on the subject, with the same title, check out this track.
Distilled Orthopraxy 