Two lessons

While shopping recently with my daughter, we accidentally knocked over a stack of cross-shaped picture frames. When I went to pick them up, I noticed that one of them had broke. I quickly hid the broken one amidst the stack and went to put them back on the shelf. Immediately, the Holy Spirit tapped me on the shoulder and said "don't put that back on the shelf my sweet child, that would not be right." I share this story for two reasons. First, it demonstrates that, no matter how far along you and I are in our Christian experience, our old nature is always lurking in the background, looking for opportunities to temp us to sin. And while I'd like to think that I wouldn't do something lacking in integrity (because I like to believe I'm a good person), the reality is that I'm NOT a naturally good person, I'm a naturally bad person. That's why Jesus had to come and correct my predicament. And that's why I love him so much...because I'm more flawed and sinful then I would ever dare to believe yet simultaneously I'm more loved and welcomed by Jesus than I ever dared to hope.

Second, the development of integrity is such an important part of Christian growth. Why? Because its mostly learned and practiced in private. Integrity is "doing the right thing when no one is looking." It's those private, Christ-centered decisions we make every day that produce the selfless, loving, honest character that Christ desires. It's letting someone else have the "good seat," it's not leaving the grape jelly in the toilet paper aisle, it's correcting the cashier when she hands you back the incorrect amount of money. AND, it's not leaving a broken picture frame on the shelf.

(By the way, with the Holy Spirit's prodding, I took that broken frame to the clerk and admitted that it was I who broke it. You see: God got the glory and I got to grow.)