Here Are My Thoughts

READ: Proverbs 20

“Who can say, ‘I have made my heart pure; I am clean from my sin’?” (Proverbs 20:9)

One thing I think we all share as humans is something that we intrinsically know about ourselves: We’re not that good. Regardless of your religious belief or faith background, no matter your upbringing or life stage, if you’re honest with yourself, I think you can agree with that statement. The idea that, no matter how good of a person you seem to be, in reality, we’re just not that good all the time.

Even the most honest among us, lie. The most disciplined and consistent are still inconsistent. The most selfless and caring are still, at least on occasion, really selfish. The most self-controlled still let their emotions get the best of them. Come on. Be real. You know it’s true about you. And I know it’s true about me. And if it’s true about you, and true about me, then it’s probably true about everyone. We’re not alone in this. We can resonate with Solomon’s honest question-we know we can’t say that our hearts are totally pure, or that we’re really, completely clean. We’re just not that good.

And at least for me, when I come to that realization, it makes me long to attach myself to something, or someone, that really is that good. If I can’t be the way I want to be, by myself, then, is there anybody out there who can help me move in that direction? If I’m selfish, impulsive, dishonest, and inconsistent (which I am, at least to some degree), who can make me different? Or, who can make me new? 

I believe, with all of my heart, that there is only one answer to those questions, and that his name is Jesus Christ. He’s the Son of God, who came to earth, and lived a perfect, completely moral life (a life without any sin). This man, God in the flesh, then died a brutal death that he did not deserve to die. And after being buried, he rose from the grave, going from death to life, and left this earth promising that he would come back.

I believe that this Jesus is the only one who can make us better than what we’ve been. I don’t believe it happens just through will-power, inspiration, or motivation (think about how often those things fail you in your actions on a daily basis). I believe that we, who aren’t that good, only get good because someone who is truly good makes us good. Jesus can transform us, and our lives.

So what are you going to do with that? Do you admit that, maybe, you’re really not all that good? That your heart isn’t pure and that you’re not truly clean? That, if there’s a Savior out there, you probably need Him?

Well there is. And if you haven’t surrendered to Him before, you’re more than welcome to now. And if you have surrendered to Him, but just haven’t seen any movement, I want you to know that He’s more than willing to work in your life.

Now that’s good news.

-Brett