Really Good or Really Bad

This time of year is a conundrum to me. People can be so good. For example, we have this tradition in our church called "You've Been Gifted" where we blanket the area with what we call random acts of kindness. There are stories galore of people that have been touched by this. Then we have just the sheer joy of being with friends and family this time of year. I just came from a brunch with about 16 or our closest friends that we have every year.

At the same time, people are really stressed and just seem to act in the most negative way. Debsue and I were commenting how we almost fear going out this time of year. Stress and depression reign. Today in the church parking lot before the service, I was almost side-swiped by someone so "holy" people are not immune.

But as I was thinking about this, the conundrum is that there is a very fine line in the sin-stained world between the potential for good and the potential for evil. I once was told that the difference between scalding hot water and soothing warm water is only a few degrees. Thus is how it is for human beings tainted by sin. We have the potential to so impact our society in a positive way and yet the potential to be so harmful.

Paul wrestled with this seeming inward fight going on within each of us that is a daily fight. He says in Romans 7 - "I find then the principle that evil is present in me, the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against he law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members."  But then Paul gives us the answer in v.25 - Thanks be to God through our Jesus Christ our Lord.

In this time of year where we see the dichotomy of sin and grace in its most polar way, let us thank the celebrated Lord Jesus Christ who broke down the power of sin to show us holiness in the fullest.