Sinner or Saint

Recently an old friend came by. It was so good to see him. Back in high school, we would talk for hours on the phone discussing all the problems of the world or at least the world as we knew it back then. Many years have passed and we both now have families of our own. As we sat at the table reminiscing, I caught myself staring at a tattoo on his arm. It was he that brought it up, “What do you think it says?”

“Saint”

“Now?” He turned his arm the other way.

I could not make it out at first. “What is the opposite of saint?” he hinted.

“Sinner?”

How easy it would be in life to change so simply. How simple if it was always a clear as choosing which to be. Most of us are probably not purely saint or purely sinner, but more in the middle. We affectionately call this condition “human”. Perhaps after confessing our sins and asking forgiveness, we tilt a little closer to saint, but most of the time we are probably closer to the sinner side. None of us want to admit that. We like to believe that we are living right and certainly most of us strive to live as Jesus, but few of us can actually accomplish it.

Irronically, his arm is more naturally in the sinner position, which perhaps he may think he is more likely to be (I know better though). But maybe it is a reminder to us all that we have to work at doing what it right. It is very easy to sin and fall away. 13". . . For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” Matthew 7:13-14 (NIV)

Each day we need to think about what message we want our life to project. Do we want our sign to say “sinner” or “saint”? What would someone reading your life say that your life says? Is this in line with what you want it to say? How can you change your life so that these two things are in alignment? Remember there will come a day when the sheep are separated from goats. Which group do you want to be in?

Philippians 1:9-11, “I pray that your love will keep on growing and that you will fully know and understand 10how to make the right choices. Then you will still be pure and innocent when Christ returns. And until that day, 11Jesus Christ will keep you busy doing good deeds that bring glory and praise to God.”