Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, commits sin. James 4:17

As a parent of young children, I find myself often breaking up disputes and arguments. “Don’t cut your brother’s hair,” “Don’t sit on your sister’s head,” and “Don’t hit each other with the soccer ball” are all things that have come out of my mouth in the past month!

When I reflect on these moments, I realize that from a very early age we learn to associate sin with the breaking of rules and direct disobedience. And in part, this is certainly true. But I wonder if this is the full picture of what Scripture means when it says to “put on the new self,” (Eph. 4:24) and to live “in holiness and righteousness before him all our days?” (Lk. 1:75)

Sin isn’t just our active disobedience but it is also our willingness to withhold love. I’ve often heard it said that sin is a “failure to love.” At times, this failure results in explicit actions of anger, pride, and selfishness. Yet we can also fail to love without saying a word or doing a single thing!

One of my favorite prayers is a prayer of confession to God which acknowledges that we have sinned by “what we have done, and by what we have left undone.” I think it’s easy for us to identify and repent of the things we’ve done that we shouldn’t have done. This is how we as parents often speak to our kids: “Don’t!” Yet do we have the wisdom and grace to also see the things we’ve left undone that we ought to have done? This is the “Do!” of the Christian faith.

“Those who withhold kindness from a friend forsake the fear of the Almighty”(Job 6:14).

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Do’s and Don’ts of Faith  →

One of them [a man with leprosy], when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 17:15-19

My heart can feel thankful, but until I take the time to express my gratitude with a grateful prayer to God, a spoken word of blessing, a note of thanksgiving or a phone call of appreciation—I only conceal what I feel. Verbalized gratitude bends heaven’s ear toward earth while blessing those who hear its heart. A friend recently took the time to write me a note (legible!) of appreciation for helping him with his men’s retreat. The sincerity of his words and his description of how I blessed him really blessed my heart. The note rests next to my coffee pot for daily enjoyment!

Leprosy is a debilitating, snarly and a painful disease from a slow growing bacteria causing a loss of feeling in the arms and legs, along with muscle weakness. In Jesus’ day not only was this condition hideous to the eyes—an inflicted person was ostracized from the community. At the very moment the sick individual needed care and support—they were isolated. So, healing by Jesus was an extraordinary relief for the ten lepers—an event that pricked a scared society’s soul. A hug from a healthy person felt awkward—aches were replaced by joy! Remarkably, the twice shunned foreigner took time to thank Jesus. Love enjoys the gift, but also thanks the gift giver!

“She was forgiven many, many sins, and so she is very, very grateful. If the forgiveness is minimal, the gratitude is minimal.” Then he spoke to her: “I forgive your sins” (Luke 7:47-48, MSG).

Continue reading Wisdom Hunters – Unexpressed Gratitude is Ingratitude →