Remember Joe ? After I threw him off our property, he has been trying to get his life together.
He is sober. He has asked to work in the garden at my home.
Last Saturday we had a church leader’s gathering, and he washed the cars of the leaders – free.
But then on Sunday he blew it.
He was arrested at a local chain store for secreting a bottle of the store’s alcohol on his person as he walked out the store. And the security guard caught him; and Joe told them that he was very sorry; and that he was getting it to help a friend; and that he worked for the Methodist Church under the supervision of our caretaker.
And because the store manager knows our church, and knows many of the members: he let Joe off with a warning.
And I am mad......
Joe has abused the reputation of our church to get out of a tight spot.
And I was at the point of giving him his room back.
And…I am mad because Joe reminds me of how often I am like him: I try to get out of a tight spot with God by pretending that I have integrity… or at the very least that I associate with people of integrity.
Because deep down I know that I am frail. I fall short of my best intentions. I am afraid when I should be courageous. I get impatient when I should be kind. I am grumpy when I ought to love. I am intolerate of failures in others while giving myself plenty of latitude. I really am a very imperfect human being.
And for all these reasons I will continue with Joe.
2 comments:
Your honesty and introspection inspire me. Thank you.
Hi Pete
Hey, remember no one is perfect and the fact that you take note of your imperfections is a big part of growing and becoming an even better person – who said it was easy to be a Christian! We all fall short and that is why we need support and that is why we help others as we might just be in the same situation one day and hope and trust that somebody will pick us up and love and except us. Sometimes we need to practice tough Love for some people to learn a lesson.
So many people have told me how well you do your sermons and how much they get out from it. So don’t break yourself down you are a wonderful husband and father and God loves you
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