Everyone
loves an underdog story. From
kids who
start out in bad situations and make it big, to sports teams that
should lose
but end up winning, we like big, unexpected results. There is a reason why so many
books and
movies are “rags to riches” stories.
We
like big, sudden turnarounds.
It
should not surprise us, then, that we like spiritual comeback
stories too. We like to
focus on dramatic testimonies and
instant changes. However,
that is not the
way most people experience spiritual growth and renewal. Most of us are much more like
a man that Jesus
met in the little town of Bethsaida (Mark 8:22-26).
On
that
day, some friends brought a blind man to be healed. Instead of the instant,
spectacular, showy
event the were expecting, Jesus took the man outside of town where
no one else
could see them. Then he
spat on the man’s
eyes (not exactly something that you dream about) and then he
asked, “Do you see
anything?”
The
man’s
response is interesting because he says, “I see people; they look
like trees
walking around”. Once more
Jesus put his
hands on the man’s eyes and this time the man’s eyes were opened,
and he could
see clearly.
I
like that
this healing is progressive. It
does not
happen all at once. Instead,
the man’s
sight returns slowly and in stages.
Isn’t
this how things happen for most of us? Change
usually comes in small, incremental steps.
We understand a little more.
We
see ourselves a little more clearly.
We
determine to become different or to do something better. We fail and try again. We pray and trust. It is a process.
Do
not
be discouraged if parts of your life are still a little blurry. Not only is it okay to grow
in holiness, it
is normal. Rather than
demanding
perfection from ourselves or others, what we ought to look for and
encourage is
progress. Movement toward
God is the
important part.
At
your
baptism, your status changed. Instantly,
you went from sinner to saint because you were clothed with Christ
(Galatians
3:26-27).
Holiness, however,
takes time.
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