Humility

"Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her." John 8:7

As I stood before the 16 foot cross on Good Friday, I held in my hand a small tag on which I had written my name. I moved forward with the crowd to hang my name on the cross. "I did this for you," were the words that rang through my mind. I envisioned the blood and tried to hear the cries of those who wept as they watched their friend and savior hang on that cross. "For you, " I heard it again and then the pain of how I've pointed out others' sins rang deep within my heart. Yes, it's true, maybe their sins hurt more people. Maybe the consequences of their sins are much larger than mine, but Jesus didn't distinguish between sins as he hung on that cross. Not at all. And actually what he did was ask his Father to forgive me. For a moment, shame wanted to take up residence in my heart and mind. I crucified my God again.

Friends when another person is sinning against us we must gently restore them just as God has gently restored us. We do this by not allowing our sin to rule us, but remembering that our sin is no less. Humility keeps us from being judgmental and allows us to restore a lost and hurting friend. Jesus blood was shed for all sin..past, present, and future. Yours and mine. His and hers. Theirs and ours. We must take responsibility for ourselves first and then lay down our stones and instead wrap our arms around others. 

Dear Father,

 You sent your son to die for my sins. Teach me to walk humbly with you so that in remembrance of all you have done for me, I can be an instrument of restoration to someone else. I stand in awe today at all that you gave for me. It is undeserved. Yet, you gave your life freely. Thank you for loving me this much. Amen