It feels like we all have these little acts, these stupid things we do that we all hang our hats on. Some of us are athletes and others of us are physicists, and some of us are good looking, and some of us are rich, and we all are running around, in a way, trying to get a bunch of people to say we are normal, we are healthy, we are good. And there is nothing wrong with being beautiful or being athletic or being smart, but those are some of the pleasures of life, not life’s redemption.
One writer said that what we commonly think of as love is really the desire to be loved. I know that is true for me, and it has been true for years, that oftenwhen I want somebody to like me, I am really wanting them to say I am redeemed, that I am not a loser, that I can stay in the boat, stay in the circus, that my act redeems me.
Imagine how much a man’s life would be changed if he trusted that he was loved by God. He could interact with the poor and not show partiality, he could love his wife easier and not expect her to redeem him, he would be slow to anger because redemption was no longer at stake, he could be wise and giving with his money because money no longer represented points, he could give up on formulaic religion, knowing that checking stuff off a spiritual to do list was a worthless pursuit, he would have confidence and the ability to laugh at himself, and he could love people without expecting anything in return. It would be quite beautiful, really.
I read once where Jesus said that He knows the heart of man, and the heart of man does not have the power to give glory. I think Jesus is saying, Look, you guys are running around like monkeys trying to get people to clap, but people are fallen, they are separated from God, so they have no idea what is good and bad, worthy to be judged or set free, beautiful or ugly to begin with. Why not get your glory from God? Why not accept your feelings of redemption because of His pleasure in you, not the fickle and empty favor of man? And only then will you know who you are, and only then will you have true, uninhibited relationships with others.
everyone has a story 