Everyone has some kind of “mark” they are trying to hit. For some of us, life is one big target practice. In my BC days, I was constantly in training – always trying to out do others – always trying to outdo myself – and always missing the mark.
I wish that I could say all that stopped after giving my heart to the Lord. It didn’t – at least not right away and not completely. I came to the Lord having been steeped in sin. I believed there was nothing of any value in me as a person. I believed I was unworthy. I would look around at other people in my church community and think that they were righteous and unblemished – that they couldn’t possibly feel the way I felt. I was wrong.
The wonderful thing about living authentically in a community that does the same is that it becomes abundantly clear that we are more alike than different. I take no consolation in other’s misery; it doesn’t make me feel better about myself to hear that someone else struggles in their journey toward Christ-like character. What brings me consolation is the comfort I can bring to another who is frustrated by their journey by sharing my frustrations. It’s very difficult to be around people who hide their shortcomings beneath a mask. We all know that only Jesus has a perfect character so the masked individual is only hiding from themselves when they look in the mirror.
It is what makes us the same that grows us together in relationship and there is one thing we all share: we all miss the mark when it comes to the nature and things of God. Relationship is the place where we encourage ourselves by encouraging others in truth and in love. There is no better training for Christ-likeness than in authentic relationship with others.
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins,” Romans 3:23-24.
