Something I was pondering about the other evening was how the world views Christianity. One thing many think about the faith is that Christians believe that they are perfect. I don’t know about you, but I have heard many lost people say to me, “what makes you think you’re so perfect?” I’ve heard it a lot and quite frankly, I’ve heard it too many times. I began to wonder: why do people view us this way? How can we change it?
As the younger generation of teenagers, the future is in our hands. Truly, I believe the return of our Lord is imminent. But in the meantime we have a job to do. A job that consists of spreading the gospel and “setting the believers an example in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity.” {1 Tim. 4:12} There are many ways to set an example and spread the gospel; however, there is one thing I wish more of my Christian siblings would do: be open about their sin.
Honestly, there is a reason as to why the world views us as thinking we are “perfect.” It is because we don’t express enough the ideology of surrender, sacrifice, and most importantly: sin. We spend most of our time involved in the mistakes of others and don’t spend enough time focusing on our own. Now – I don’t want this to come off as a lecture to my brothers and sisters. I want this to be a word of encouragement and lead to serious thought by those willed to read this. How much do you express your struggle? How much do you admit to sin?
Those who don’t share our beliefs love to prey on us – constantly. Finding a Christian participating in sin is like winning the lottery to them, especially Christian leaders. But what people don’t fully understand is that failure is a vital part of our testimony. Failure is the very reason we need a Savior. The world views our mistakes as proof that there is no healing in Christ, but our mistakes are the very thing that drives us right to the Cross.
The Samaritan woman knew what it was like to carry the weight of failure. Much like the weight of the water jug she carried in the scorching heat of the day, her failures pulled her down and reminded her of who she tried so hard not to be. An adulteress. She went to the well to avoid the stares of those who watched her fail repeatedly. Jews and Samaritans didn’t mix, but the man Jesus looked at her heart and gave her a drink of living water.
“Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” {John4:29}
She came out of hiding that day, shedding all of the weight and heaviness she had carried for so long. She no longer desired to hide her sin; as a matter of fact, she was proclaiming it! She was giving glory to the One who knew her, loved her, redeemed her, and changed her. Jesus didn’t sugar coat anything with her – He gave it all to her straight up. It was her sin and the Lord’s rawness that completed the picture of what it should be like to have a relationship with Jesus.
And in her excitement, she ran to tell everyone else.
When was the last time you danced in the freedom of your forgiveness?
Take your sin and share it freely with others. Our testimonies are built off of pure struggle. Share that.
Christianity is all about admitting that we are imperfect and surrendering to the fact that we need help.
World, we aren’t perfect. We are a mess. A mess who desperately needs the Cross. But it’s not just us – it’s everyone. We are all living in an imperfect world in need of a perfect God, and that is Jesus Christ.
