"A church is not a museum for saints, it is a hospital for sinners."

I have no idea who originally said that, but in my head I hear my Mother's voice; she said it often.  For a long time, I thought it was just one of those Christian-y things people said.  Now, I wonder if it helped her to maintain perspective when times got hard, feelings got hurt, and people forgot how to act.  That statement helps me keep my priorities focused on reflecting Christ and not my own agenda when times get tough.

We are supposed to love the sinner and hate the sin.  God used a recent situation to show me how to behave when things hit the fan and the whole situation just stinks.  I originally reacted in much the same way anyone would.  Then I listened to a Sunday School lesson where I was reminded that my goal should FIRST AND FOREMOST be to point people to Christ.  Often, when life seems to crumble we are always quick to place blame and condemn.  I was reminded that all too often, sin comes from a place of deep brokenness.  There's only one person I know who can fix those kinds of hurts.

Romans 12:20-21 ESV
To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

My initial reaction(s) did not point anyone toward Christ. He would be the only person who could forgive, restore, and heal.  From that point forward, I purposed to use each opportunity to point people to God and reflect His love.  Is it easy?  Not always, but when you see people through God's eyes, it's easier.  When people make bad decisions, I try to look beyond what I see with my plank-filled eye, and see the soul God placed in that body.

Jude 1:22-23 ESV 
And have mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.

Our value, our God-given gifts and purpose, are not diminished by our sin.  No more than a diamond's shine is diminished.  We need someone to clean us off and polish us off.  Next time you are sitting with the elephant in the room, remind them that God loves them no differently than He did when they were a minute old.  Point them toward Christ.  Guide them to a hospital for sinners.  Help tend to the wounds on the outside as God works on healing from the inside.  

1 John 1:8-9 ESV 
If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

John 8:7 ESV 
And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

I was talking with #1 son over the weekend.  He was telling me about the latest discussion in youth; comparing ourselves to others.  Ah yes, I know that topic well, as I'm sure most of us do.  We look at the people in our world, on our social media avenues, and consider all the ways we seem to be failing by comparison.  As we chatted, I told him that most people see life as a line of people all racing toward the same finish line.  Some started sooner than us, others later than us, but inevitably we all are headed in the same direction.  Running headlong into our future regardless of how long or short it may be.  Deciding who is ahead and behind along the way.

I told my son that in reality, life is more like a chess board.  Each piece can do something a little different because of who it is, where it resides on the board, what point you are at in the game and the player's strategy.  We are like chess pieces on a board being moved into, and out of position, as needed.  At times a piece may be active, moving often, covering great distances.  Other pieces may appear stagnant or forgotten, moving only a few times during a game.

We cannot compare ourselves to each other.  We do not have the same qualities.  We cannot move through life in exactly the same way. We need to learn about who we are, what makes our position on the board unique.  Although we see things moving around us all the time, we have to trust that we are moved skillfully by the One who can see the whole board and knows how to use our strengths to fulfill the strategy.

Proverbs 18:16 - A man's gift makes room for him     and brings him before the great.

1 Corinthians 12:7-11
7 To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. 8 For to one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 All these are empowered by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.

Just think about it.

This week starts my painfully slow breakdown of all our Christmas decorations.  I know I won't even get started on that project today since I have errands to run all morning (once #3 wakes up) and appointments this evening.  I'm five days behind on my YouVersion daily bible reading plan.  Both sides of my sink are full of soaking dishes that need loading into the dishwasher.  There are at least three piles of laundry to do, not counting the sheets still on all the beds.  My #1 son headed back to school today and will no doubt come home with plenty of homework.  When I took stock of my day over a hot cup of coffee, I had to make a choice - be overwhelmed or do my best.  Then it hit me...

I have been telling my eldest since Kindergarten, "I want you to always do the best you can do,"  I never wanted my kids to be worried about making a certain grade or achieving a certain milestone.  I purpose to allow my children to grow into the men God has designed them to be.  My prayer is that I won't impose my idea of who they should be on them.  Hubby and I work hard to give them the room to try new things, like AND not like those things, and make mistakes to learn from.  Yes, sometimes #1 comes home with a bad grade. Each time I ask him, "did you do the best you could at that moment?"  Occasionally he admits he didn't, to which I simply reply, "well then you earned that grade".  When he's done his best, I don't shame him for what he earned.  I asked him if there's anything I can do to help him out.  

I often see God from the perspective of a loving parent.  He loves us beyond measure, sets rules and boundaries to keep us safe, disciplines us when we get too big for our britches, and celebrates with us when we really have done our best.  I could feel like a failure as a mom, housekeeper, wife, friend, blogger, and just about any other title I carry.  Today, I choose to do the best that I can.  God has already handled this day for me.  All the details are worked out.  I need only to walk in faith and do my best.

Deuteronomy 31:8 "The LORD is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed."