Are You Broken?
Mankind has always had a problem admitting that it has a problem. More to the point, we do not like to admit that we are sinners. We’d rather deny our bent toward lawlessness than acknowledge what we perceive to be a shameful truth. Let me offer a thought that might seem backward and the opposite of conventional wisdom: to truly understand and rejoice in the love of God, we must understand that we are sinners. As a matter of fact, the ability to deeply feel God’s love is dependent on our willingness to see the wickedness of our lives and hearts. The foundation of this idea is found in Romans 5:6-8: "You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (NIV)
In this passage from Romans, Paul is reminding Christians of the love of God. Paul declares: Look how loving God is. You are a sinner, and yet God shows you love! We need to be reminded again that if we do not see ourselves as sinners, we have difficulty appreciating God’s love and mercy. The greater we comprehend the nature and hideousness of our sin, the greater our capacity is to comprehend the love of God. Jesus illustrated this idea in Luke 7:41-43: "Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more? Simon replied, 'I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.' 'You have judged correctly,' Jesus said.” (NIV) Jesus went on to say that the one who is forgiven much, loves much. In this chapter, Jesus was dealing with a man named Simon. Simon was appalled that Jesus was accepting worship from a woman with a scandalous reputation. Jesus made a startling statement about Simon and the sinful woman. Jesus said that this woman deeply loved him while Simon only liked him. Why was there such a difference in the way Simon and the woman acted toward Jesus? The woman knew she was a sinner and the love of Jesus was obvious to her. Simon would not admit his sinfulness, and therefore he missed the transforming love of Jesus.
We live in a world that fiendishly labors to deny its sinfulness. The frightening truth is that many Christians have been brainwashed by these notions and ideas as well. We must come clean and accept the truth that we are sinful, guilty, and broken. If we are ever to find peace, refuge, and hope, our path will take us to the cross of Jesus. There is no more liberating concept than the one that God has repeatedly shared. While we were sinners, while we were enemies, while we were in deep trouble, Jesus came to save us! Jesus came to do what we could never do. Jesus has lifted us out of the depths and has brought us to the Father. Keep looking up!