No More Finger Pointing!
There is one word in the English language that will turn off the ears of many Christians and make them squirm in their seats. One word that many just don’t want to hear — let alone talk about — unless they are the ones throwing the stones from their own glass houses. What’s the word you may ask? Sin!
The overwhelming attitude that the world sees from many Christians is that it’s okay to talk about someone else’s sin, but heaven forbid that anyone talk about their own. For too long now many in the Christian church have become known for what they are against and for pointing out other peoples’ flaws and have neglected to own up to their own failings. Many have tried to rationalize what they do while cutting down and judging others.
“Well, I might have lied to my boss when I wasn’t really sick. I just needed to run a few errands. It’s not like I murdered someone.”
“So I got to the parking lot and realized the cashier forgot to ring me up for that case of Pepsi in my shopping cart. It was her mistake. It’s not like I held a gun to someone’s head while robbing a bank.”
“Okay, so I lied to my husband about how much the dress cost, but he is the one that cheated on me with his secretary.”
Do any of these sound even vaguely familiar? Ok, I admit these are a bit exaggerated but do you point your finger at the sins of others while trying to desperately justify your own? How often do we do what is right in our own eyes?
Many people get trapped thinking they are above others, that they are better than others and thus can point out the flaws and sins of others. Yet those very people have fallen for one of the most deadliest of sins — pride.
We don’t like to admit our own failings. We see it as weakness.
Well I have news for you. We are all sinners. That’s right. We are ALL sinners and we need to start admitting it.
“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” 1 John 1:8
We need to first take a look at our own lives and the sin that consumes us before we can possibly attempt to start pointing out the sins of others.
So, let me start . . . I am a sinner and I have fallen short, far short, Grand Canyon chasm short of the glory of my God.
I am far from perfect and I fail God every single day. I am just as unclean as the murderer sitting on death row. I am just as unworthy as the man or woman that cheats on his or her family.
Many have forgotten that God doesn’t grade us on how good we are. He doesn’t look at Billy Graham and give him an A+ and look at me and give me a C-. We are all sinners and fallen short. He looks over our lives on a daily basis and compares us to one person, his son Jesus Christ. How do we stack up against the one and only perfect, sinless person that has ever walked the face of this planet? I will tell you now that we fall short every single time.
It doesn’t matter if I lied or murdered. It doesn’t matter if you cheated or stole. The wages of each one of those mistakes is the same. Without the forgiveness of God, all those sins lead to one place — death.
But here is the great news people. No matter who you are, no matter what you have done, no matter how many times you have failed God — he still forgives you. All we have to do is confess our sins because God is faithful and He is fair and He will forgive us our sins and he will wipe the slate clean from every single one of them.
But we have to stop pointing our fingers. We have to stop cutting others down in judgment. We have to start look at ourselves. We have to admit that we are the lost cause. We have to start owning up to our sins.
“How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Matthew 7:4-5
“Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.” Romans 14:13
Category: Transgender Body & Soul
About the Author (Author Profile)
Meggan Sommerville is a writer, photographer, indefatigable advocate for trans women’s rights and the founder of Trans Girl at the Cross, a Christian ministry focused on building bridges between the trans community and the Church. Meggan holds the honor of being the first transgender woman to be cast in Listen to Your Mother, a production of mother-themed readings currently directed and performed in 32 cities around the United States. Meggan is a proud mom of two teenagers.Subscribe
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