Lent is a good time to think about sin. Sin is what puts me on equal footing with all people. That is Paul’s message to Jews about Gentiles when he draws on Psalm 14:1 – 3 and 53:1 – 3):
What shall we conclude then? Do we have any advantage? Not at all! For we have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written:"There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one." (Rom. 3:9 – 12, NIV)
When we stand before the Holy God, we are all equal.
Illustration: If I were to draw a vertical
line on a wall and ask people to draw a mark indicating where they would place people
they know or know about, with a high mark for good people and a low one for bad
people, there would be quite a spread.
But, if I now asked where to put God’s mark, most people realize we would
have to extend the line well beyond the height of the wall. In comparison to God’s place, our marks for
people would condense to a single smudge far below.
There is no one in the Church who is beneath
me when it comes to sin. There is no one
outside the Church who is beneath me when it comes to sin. Sin is the great equalizer when we are in the
Presence of a Holy God. This is why the outreach of Body of Christ is to be all inclusive.
Moreover, contrary to my expectation, based on how I treat others, God does not humiliate me over my sin. Rather, God humiliates God-self over my sin. There is a real sense of shame to stand before the Holy God and know my sin, but it is not humiliation. It is the shame of being offered what I do not deserve. Instead of humiliation, I find that it is God who has lowered God-self to come close to me and offer a restored relationship. That is the story of the biblical witness from the Garden to the Incarnation, the Cross, and the ongoing mediation of Christ – God’s self-humiliation. When through the Person of the Holy Spirit I am aware of the holiness of God and of my sin, I am at the same time aware of the grace of God, that God offers God’s presence and forgiveness. In the same way, the Body of Christ is present not to humiliate others, but to get down with them and offer grace.
Lord, how can it be, in your Presence I stand in wondrous shame and gratitude, in lowliness and exalted privilege? This I cannot comprehend. Still, help me to offer this same mercy and grace to others. Amen.
