Romans 2:1-4 :: Dark Spiral Downward

Romans 2:1-4

What a great way to start our Monday morning, eh?  This is one of those passages that simply hits me right between the eyes.  In my shadow (you know that dark place that everyone has), I am critical, cynical and judgmental.  I work on it, but too often it creeps up and into my thoughts.  My wife knows this shadow-self all too well.  This sort of judgment is really a judgment of myself.  I very rarely stop and think that my criticism of others may simply be a way of escaping detection of something in my own life.  Who really wants to stop and listen to that?  Don't we know that God sees all and isn't fooled by our slight-of-hand tactics?  Sure we do.  Then why do we continue to fall into this trap of self-deception?

I may be tempted to see my error and assume that God's grace will trump that no matter what, which I do, and believe that he will just let it slide.  Paul indicates this is not at all the case, though.  God's kindness does not just let us do whatever we want to do, no matter how damaging to others or to ourselves.  The kindness of God is what leads us to repentance.  His kindness is what "takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life change (v. 4)."  So, I cannot simply look past my criticism and take it lightly.  Father wants me to change.  He wants me to not condemn.  He wants my kindness to lead somewhere because His kindness does.

We would be a better community of Christ-followers if we began to live out the implications of this passage.  We would be a better community if we stopped our criticism and offered kindness instead.  Whether it's the neighbor who plays his music too loud too late, or the co-worker who gossips all the time, God has called us to look first at our own lives before worrying about theirs.  When I am able to do this, I find that I don't have time to worry about theirs.

Here is a little tune that might help you keep this in mind today...there are better recordings, but the lyrics on this one are clear...