One of the best jokes I have heard in a while was told to me not too long ago,
by a very dear friend of mine. It goes like this...
A lawyer is driving down the road when he comes to a stop sign. As he approaches,
he slows down a bit and then runs right through the sign. As he continues down the
road, he see those familiar blue lights in his rear view. He pulls over, and a policeman
comes to the window. "What seems to be the problem, officer?" the lawyer asks.
The policeman answers him saying, "You didn't stop at that stop sign back there."
"Come on. I slowed down, what's the difference?" he shoots back. At this the
officer tells him to step out of his car. As soon as he has cleared the doorway, the
officer begin beating him with his club. While still beating him, the police officer asks,
"Now sir, do you want me to stop or slow down?"
I got a kick out of this joke, but there is a certain familiarity in it from speaking with
people in my job. More and more people who know that they are doing wrong will
make a "What's the difference?" type comment when it comes to sin. "It's only a
small thing." "It's not hurting anyone." This is a dangerous way of thinking.
James 4:17 says,
Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.
But, 1 Timothy 1:9-11 goes to a different level.
9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and
insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers
of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any
other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine,
11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.
In verse 9, we are right there with it saying, "Murderers, absolutely they are sinners."
"They deserve what they get!" But, then we get to liars and perjurers, that can't be right.
Can it?
Well, Revelation 21:7-8 says again
7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers,
idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone,
which is the second death.”
Wow! The notion of these small things that "don't mean a thing" doesn't seem so sure from this
viewpoint.
It should make us think, "Let me see those sins that I don't even know I'm doing, so that I can stop
those too!
Hebrews 12:1 - Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with
endurance the race that is set before us,
Makes me think of the children's song, "Be careful little mouth what you say..."!
2 Timothy 2:15 says, "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need
to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth."
James 1:12 - Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will
receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
Keep your eye on the prize! Have a wonderful day!
