Shit Nuggets

I had a choice between two pictures for this blog post. I chose the nuggets.

You know, I’m undoubtedly gonna catch some flack for the title of this post but honestly… that’s the point.

I think that the wide majority of people who are seeking answers are turned off by Christians because of their overall judgmental attitude. I’m here to tell you I love Jesus and, well… I say “shit” sometimes (and so does my sister).

I also sin quite regularly. I sometimes drink excessively. I watch things on TV like “World’s Dumbest”, “South Park” or “Real Housewives of Orange County” (with my wife of course) and on some occasions I’ll obsess over a certain Texas baseball team. I’m a judgmental jerk at times, I don’t give some people the benefit of the doubt. I eat candy late at night to feed my sugar obsession. I lose my temper. I did have an obsession with pornography (that I wrote about many years ago here). I haven’t killed anyone yet but if my lawnmower breaks again it’s a distinct possibility. I have tattoos, a lot of them actually, but you already know about that.

In the Bible, we are warned to abstain from many of the things I listed above and unfortunately I do (or did) them on a fairly regular basis.

I’m basically your typical screw up wrapped in a seemingly well put together package.

So what’s my point?

My point is, that this whole time you’ve been reading this you probably can’t get over the fact that I profess to be a Catholic Christian yet I knowingly said the word “shit” in this post and admit to do decidedly “un-Christian” things. Perhaps, depending on who you are and the way you were brought up, you may even be doubting my ability to effectively reveal Christ in my life on a day-to-day basis on this blog because of what I just admitted.

I am not Jesus. I’m not even anywhere near close.

NEWSFLASH: Neither are you.

You may have a personal preference against tattoos or chose to eliminate television altogether from your home. You may eat all kosher foods and pray five hours a day. Maybe you don’t drink or smoke. Perhaps you attend church every other day. Do you give 20 percent of your earnings to your church? Are you are a saint?

Do you look at pornography frequently or “covet your neighbor’s wife”? Maybe you smirk at your enemies misfortune. Perhaps you have extreme opinions about homosexuality. Have you had an abortion? Maybe you’re in prison for murder! Are you a sinner?

I really have no idea who (most) of you are but guess what? I thank God for you because you have a unique set of skills and life experiences to further any of our walks with God.

The one thing standing in all of our way is our judgment of each other.

How many times do we separate ourselves from people who aren’t like us either spiritually, physically, emotionally, etc.? As a race of humans, we tend to hang out with people of like mind.

Jesus did not.

He hung out with people decidedly different from him in an effort to change our mentality. Jesus changed the way we were supposed to look at people and 2000+ years later, we still suffer from being able to do what he was trying to teach us.

I believe my proof of spiritual maturity is not how “pure” I am by some Christian standards, but how aware I am to my impurities. This opens the door up to God’s grace all the more. I don’t think God cares if I have 30 tattoos or no tattoos or, unlike the Amish, I prefer a zipper to buttons. I think in a life full of extremism we perhaps tend to focus on the trivialities rather than what is really important.

Abercrombie’s new “Amish Clothing Line”

We can never achieve the  righteousness of God’s law. Jesus told us that His law is so perfect and absolute that none of us can do it (but that doesn’t give you a loophole). So instead of passing judgment on others perhaps we should soak up the mysteries of God’s grace. The solution to spinning out of control in this world already on its way out, is not to impose an ever-stricter code of behavior… it is to know God.

If we know God then everything else is secondary (including all this other shit we deal with here on Earth).

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I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent. – Luke 15:7