Pot and Kettle

Mama Said

The Pot Calls the Kettle Black: All have sinned

Romans 3:23 ESV

I am amazed that the Apostle Paul had such wisdom.

He was a Hebrew of Hebrews…highly educated and his life had but one path. He was a Pharisee. He

went to school all his life preparing to be a Pharisee. Among Hebrews the sky was the limit for his

career. All he ever wanted was to be a Hebrew Pharisee.

Yet one day while he was persecuting the people of the way of Jesus (Christians) he was stopped dead in

his tracks by God. A bright light appeared and the Lord spoke to him clearly asking why Saul (Paul) was

persecuting him. Jesus appeared to Paul and said, “I will show him how much he must suffer

for the sake of my name.” (Acts 9:16)

That was just the beginning of Paul’s journey. From that moment on, Saul was called Paul and he went on

to write many if not most of the Epistles (letters) in the New Testament. He play a significant role in

spreading the message of the Gospel of Jesus.

In Romans 3:23 Paul wrote, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,“

ALL, which we have to remember included Paul. That included Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and all of the

disciples. By writing that Paul reminded us that God is God and we are not God.

When I was younger I struggled with that scripture, not because of my sin but because it meant those

who guided me…those I looked up to had sinned as well. Pastors sin. So, how can I truly believe them?

After a time I came to believe I can respect them but their words were not the ultimate Word. I learned to

check their word through scripture and through prayer. I asked the Spirit to be my guide to the truth. I

remembered I am fallible and those who know me well know the whole truth. Everyone on the planet is as

fallible as well. While there are those who carefully choose their words, they are not perfect.

Only God/Jesus is without sin.

My decision to “check their word through words” spoken about Jesus set me on a path of searching

scripture for truth. But God already knew that. When the Spirit descended on me in 1967 at the Billy

Graham Crusade in Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium I was forever changed.

My dad helped me to understand how to trust God, listen and watch for God’s leading, and study

scripture as I listen. Seminary was NOT part of my plan…God had other ideas. But…that’s another story.

Deborah/acrazyjourney.com