I’m going to get straight to the point:
“Broken and beautiful” is a catchy trend.
We like to be accepted in our imperfect state and celebrate together the many ways in which we have all fallen from grace. It’s as if we want to be more connected by our flaws and faults and sins than to the God who has redeemed us from them and to Him.
“Oh, but we don’t want people to think we’re legalistic.”
What is legalistic about celebrating grace and living with a heart that overflows with joyfulness and gratitude to God? What is legalistic about focusing on the grace that God gives all of us, rather than the sins that once separated us from Him?
“But I’m concerned about my witness. I don’t want anyone to think I’m better than them.”
Well, fact is: you’re not any better than they are. Neither am I. If we are living genuine, redeemed lives which point to God’s intervention on our behalf, the world can’t help but see His glory and not ours.
I apologize if my tone in writing this seems snarky, or even irritated. I am irritated.
I’m frustrated by how often the testimony of our salvation–simple yet powerful–is being twisted so that we can “connect” to unsaved people via our common sins, rather than by the uncommonly powerful and saving grace of a holy God.
Furthermore, now we don’t want to act holy, fearing we might portray a “holier than thou” attitude. So let’s sprinkle some vulgarities here and a little careless Christianity there, and maybe we’ll look less like God enough to attract people to Him.
This makes no sense.
Because, if God redeemed us from sin and self, why do we try to use our sins and ourselves as the invitation to joining us in salvation?
God rescued us in the darkness of disobedience. Jesus–the Truth, the Life, the Light–came to us in grace and mercy, showing us a new way to live, how to live for Him.
We need to carry the torch aflame with hope and truth, calling others to join us in becoming like Christ. Let’s stop dragging around our cobweb-laden sticks, hoping to find people who just want to “feel” like us.
Don’t just boast about your broken pieces, boast about the One who has made you whole.
“‘…let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me,
that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.For in these I delight,’ says the LORD.”
– Jeremiah 9:24
jess leigh hanna 