"They" have a real reputation, don't "they?" I don't know who "they" are, but "they" seem to come up with a lot of sayings. Whatever "they" say, we somehow know and quote to others. "They" become for us a source of cookie-cutter wisdom.
When we don't like something that's happening, "they" get blamed. It's "their" fault. "They" are the ones who made that decision, voted for that person, or generally messed things up. It must be true. Scripture even says that "they" are corrupt, "their" hearts are vile...right?
There is no one who does good. The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one. (Psalms 14:1b-3 NIV)
The problem with blaming "them" is that we can believe ourselves to be superior. I had a friend who had a saying about this. He would point at someone and say, "The problem with pointing your finger at someone else is that you have three fingers pointing back at yourself." Then he would turn his hand to illustrate his point. He was right.
He's still right today. We all fall short of perfection. None of us perfectly seek God. Some level of corruption has seeped into all of our lives. We may not be doing the exact wrong thing that someone else is doing, but we have our own skeletons in our closets. All of us are in the same boat. We have all sinned.
Do all these evildoers know nothing? They devour my people as though eating bread; they never call on the LORD. But there they are, overwhelmed with dread, for God is present in the company of the righteous. (Psalms 14:4-5 NIV)
Just because we have fallen short doesn't mean that should be our goal. We know that God hangs out with the righteous. I don't know about you, but I want to hang out with God. So, I want to become the type of person God hangs out with. God saved Lot and his daughters. God saved Noah and his family. God walked with Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel). God hangs out with people who want to be with Him. I want to be, like them, a person of righteousness.
The problem is that these men weren't righteous, either. It doesn't take long before you find sexual immorality, drunkenness, dishonoring of parents, lack of trust, giving in to fear, deception, and stealing. These men weren't perfect. They fell just as short as the "bad guys" in the story. They had sinned, too. They also needed a savior.
You evildoers frustrate the plans of the poor, but the LORD is their refuge. Oh, that salvation for Israel would come out of Zion! When the LORD restores his people, let Jacob rejoice and Israel be glad! (Psalms 146-:7 NIV)
They looked forward to the day God would reveal His plan. They looked forward to the day the savior would come. We no longer have to wait for that day. God's plan has already been revealed and the savior has already come. When we point to him, no fingers are pointing back at ourselves. That's because he is the only savior. All of us, not just the bad guys, have sinned.
What about you? Have you sinned? Do you see the places in your life that have fallen short of righteousness? Do you need a savior?
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