Deceiving Ourselves #2

When it comes to sin, we’re very good at deceiving ourselves. Just like the Pharisees who were criticized by Jesus for their hypocrisy, we religious folks find loop holes that let us off the hook. Guess what, it doesn’t work! God knows our heart, our motivation and even our thoughts. As the Bible says:

“Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap.” Gal. 6:7

We may be able to fool ourselves, but we can’t fool God. This quote by John Ruskin (8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) explains just one example of how we look for “wiggle room.”

“The essence of lying is in deception, not in words. A lie may be told by silence, by equivocation, by the accent on a syllable, by a glance of the eye attaching a peculiar significance to a sentence. All these kinds of lies are worse and baser by many degrees than a lie plainly worded. No form of blinded conscience is so far sunk as that which comforts itself for having deceived because the deception was by gesture or silence, instead of utterance.”

So keep your conscience sensitive. Don’t forget to examine yourself for sins of omission as well as commission. There are no loop holes.

For more about sinful thoughts see:

I Can Do Better

The Gift of Wisdom, Part 2

The World, The Flesh and … oh yes, THE DEVIL

How to Rid Yourself of Faults

I came across this quote in my daily devotional. John Ruskin (8 February 1819 – 20 January 1900) was an English author, philosopher and art critic. His thoughts about eliminating our sins is spot on.

“You will find it less easy to uproot faults, than to choke them out by gaining virtues. Do not think of your faults; still less of others’ faults. In every person who comes near you look for what is good and strong: honor that; rejoice in it; and as you can, try to imitate it. Your faults will drop off like dead leaves when their time comes.”

I agree that everyone, even those we dislike, has something to teach us, something we can strive to emulate. When we focus on that we can be grateful even for our enemies and begin to love all others as children of God.

For another quote by John Ruskin see:

Truthful Words

For more about loving our enemies see:

Praying for Enemies?

Honor Everyone