Volume 29, No.36
September 19 2004
Word Perfect
It’s not a misatke.
Aoccdrnig to a rsereach at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in
waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist
and lsat ltsteer are in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you
sitll raed it wouthit a porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we dn’ot raed ervey lteter by
ilstef but the wrod as a wlohe.
For those of us who struggle with great personal imperfection, the meaning of
grace, and the faithful reproduction in the church today of what Jesus taught,
the spiritual application of that principle offers some heartening news. Why?
Because in so many ways, our lives and doctrine are like a collection of words
with jumbled letters. And they stay that way, no matter how much we learn or
grow.
As I’ve constantly had to remind myself and others when sin smothers hope,
there are no strong Christians and weak Christians, just strong-and-weak
Christians. We’ll always have some areas in our lives where God is master,
demonstrating his great power. But we’ll always have other areas where God is
missing, demonstrating his great patience. Those areas of strength and weakness
will change over the years but the mix will never disappear.
That doesn’t mean we can stop aiming for progress and improvement. When we
come to know Jesus and accept the forgiveness He made possible by taking our
punishment on the cross, our lives become a story of gratitude for the pardon,
peace and purpose found in Him. Every aspect of life becomes one of the words
in our testimony as Jesus sets the parameters. From love and relationships to
faith and family, He spells out how everything starts and ends. But the devil
really is in the details.
Paul puts it this way. “Your lives are a letter... and everyone can read it,”
he says. “Clearly, you are a letter from Christ... It’s written, not with pen
and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God... onhuman hearts.” (2 Cor.
3:2,3) But despite our best efforts, that letter is far from perfect because,
even though God is the medium, we keep messing with the message.
Yes, the Lord spells out how everything starts and ends, but we constantly
turn the middle into a muddle with misplaced priorities, born of mixed-up
emotions and a me-first mentality. And it’s all right there for everyone to
see, especially those who read us best.
Thankfully, Canadian media guru Marshall McLuhan was right when he said, “The
medium is the message.” Referring to television and newspapers, he meant that
the distinct characteristics of each means of communication shape our
understanding of what’s being said. That’s certainly true of God. When our
story is conveyed through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit, his
influence helps people see past our problems to the essence of the Message.
Courtesy of his grace, our sin doesn’t obscure or abscond with the overall
testimony of our lives. Those around us see Jesus in us, in spite of us,
because God is so good.
Like Paul, we should say, “We’re confident... because of our great trust in
God through Christ. It’s not that we think we can do anything of lasting value
by ourselves. Our only power and success comes from God” (v.4,5). People will
see it “as the Spirit of the Lord works within us [and] we become more like him”
(v. 18). And when they do see changes that result from “ this light and power
that now shine within us”, they’ll know it’s “from God and isn’t our own.” (4:7)
Just remember, our flaws will always be part of the package, which is why we
need Christ in the first place. But take comfort in knowing that Jesus is “the
Alpha and the Omega, the First and Last, the Beginning and the End” (Rev.
22:13). Thanks to him, the meaning and message of your faith will still be
clear and perfect. Word perfect.
By Rick Gamble, published in Cross Current, the weekly newsletter of the
Followers of Christ congregation in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Reprint at will
in not-for-profit publications. To subscribe to this free, weekly article,
contact
sgamble@bfree.on.ca