Sinning Sinners

I've posted before on this thought process somewhere over the past three or four years, but it's something on my mind today. That's amazing in itself, since there's really not any room for any "extra" thoughts in my head this week with all that's going on. It's an idea that it's so much easier to say "hate the sin, love the sinner", than it is to live that out, since we tend to "hate the sinner", too, and mess up the whole system by our lack of grace.

I've actually got writer's block, and am trying to tackle this subject to work through it. Basically, we're good at judging others, but bad at discerning in our own lives what's right and what's wrong. I know what I believe, and I know I'm doing the best I can. And even when I make a mistake, I know my heart was in the right place, right? But looking at someone else who's sinning and making their own mistakes - I can be so quick to point the finger and shame them with the guilt of my judgment. We want to "share the truth in love" and tell them about how that sin will condemn them to eternal hellfire - and sometimes, maybe it's just me, but sometimes we actually like it, that we can be so right and that sinning sinner can be so wrong.

Jonah had this problem, and I hate that I can identify with him so easily. He knew he was a wonderful preacher and prophet, and he knew he could go into Ninevah and preach up a storm. But knowing his obvious talents, he knew the city's people would be convicted and repent, and then God would do something silly like FORGIVE THEM and WITHHOLD HIS WRATH. He was actually getting angry at God, knowing his own abilities and the way God would respond to their conviction. So he said no, left on a ship, and eventually found himself praying in a loud voice - HHHEEEELLLPPPP - from inside seafood.

We want to tell others they are wrong, and while we want to "see them saved", we also want to watch them get what they deserve. Where's the mercy? Where's the love? Where's the acceptance in spite of our shortcomings? We want mercy for self and judgment for others, and never the twain shall meet.