There are a lot of short videos around social media that tell you to “wait till the end or wait for it” because that’s where the good stuff is that you want to see.  On more than one occasion I’ve “waited till the end” only to wonder why.  Well, in this short writing I’m, going to ask you to “wait for it”. 

Question, how do you tell someone they are “not up to snuff”?  I know, “up to snuff” is an old saying that people don’t really use anymore.  So to translate, think of something not up to an acceptable standard. So, how do you tell someone they are not up to an acceptable standard, especially when they and a lot of people around believe they are at least good enough?  To be a little more specific, how do you tell Christians they are not up to the standard in their faith they believe themselves to be?  To narrow it down even more, how do I tell myself I’m not “up to snuff” in my faith? Basically, I’m looking at all of us.  Of course, we can trot out the old saying that Christians aren’t perfect but forgiven.  And yes, that is certainly true.  But frankly, that sounds more like an excuse conveniently hidden behind a Christian teaching than part of a profession of faith.  A profession that starts with enough humility to accept the need for change and the desire for the Holy Spirit to help us live into our faith.  One of the challenges is that we have all been taught a standard that fits our worldview of life and prosperity.  No, I’m not saying that you, me, and the rest of the Christian people are bad or unchristian.  Nor am I putting legal standards over faith. What I’m asking is what are we conveniently ignoring, socially or as individuals, that doesn’t meet the standards of living Jesus has given us?  The Gospels are full of examples of people who believe they are right with God and doing the Lord’s will only to be confronted by Jesus.  They believe they are doing good enough, only to have Jesus tell them differently.  In Matthew 22: 15-22, we read about two such groups who try to trick Jesus because he is telling them their standard is not up to that of their Lord. 

So, do we ever try to trick Jesus? Maybe we pretend we don’t hear the Holy Spirit tell us no when we want to do as we desire, yet still be good with God? Are we out of sync with Jesus, but our society and ourselves tell us what we want to hear?  Is it our standards or Jesus’s standard we desire?  It doesn’t sound like good news, but “wait for it”, because it is.  

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Pastor Rick