The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. –1 Timothy 5:24
Paul made this small but vivid remark at the end of a letter to his younger friend, Timothy. The wisdom has stuck in my mind.
Sin on the Flashing Sign
There are some obvious sins. The kind with far-reaching, immediately obvious consequences. These are sins that run on ahead of us. They holler on up ahead to our kids “don’t copy Mom in this!” and warn off our friends “you know how she is.”
We don’t have to look back to see their havoc; instead we have to ask for grace and offer apologies before anyone even gets a word in. Obvious sins mark our paths like flashing signs on the highway. Very few overlook them, including us.
Example: If you knew me before or around the time I became Christ’s, you know I loved to cheat. Any game. Any contest, any debate. It was never a surprise when friends weren’t interested in playing with me- my obvious sin proceeded me, turning away prospects for fun because I had a reputation…
Join me at Recharge Wednesday to read the rest.
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