Clay in the Hands

We live in a mixed up world.  One would think that as long as Christianity has been around, the world would be a different place by now.  The truth is – the world is a different place than it was 2000 years ago.  The good far outweighs the bad – its just that the bad gets the press.

But we also have to remember that we live in a fallen world.  As believers, this is not our home – we are just passing through.  And on this passage, we are called to make a difference for Jesus while we are here.  We are to strive to be set apart; to be different.  Jesus challenged us in Matthew 5:48 to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.

We do this by hungering and thirsting after God’s will for us – for his righteousness.  We hold tightly to the truth given to us in scripture.  We stand unwaveringly on our convictions.  But we do so with mercy and humility.

Our culture would say the greatest evil threatening the human condition today is intolerance.  (I would say, the condemnation of and aggression toward Biblical truth by those waving the intolerance banner is the strongest intolerance I see today – a bit ironic don’t you think?)  But the greatest evil threatening the human condition today is the same evil that has been a threat since the beginning – sin.

The only answer for sin is God’s grace and forgiveness brought about by God’s truth.

So we must not flinch at the accusation of intolerance.  We must stand on the foundation of God’s truth.  But we must do so with humility, mercy and love.

Be strong yet merciful today!