HALOES AND HAPPY

Have you ever meant anyone that gave off the aura of appearing to truly be a decent person and was genuinely happy about it? I know I’ve meant a few that catered that image, but generally I found that they often had a dark side, which they would sooner or later reveal, often without even realizing it.

Of course I must confess to being rather prejudicial on this point. The scriptures tell me that there is none that are good except for God. That doesn’t mean that there aren’t some who aren’t more decent, just that lurking somewhere underneath that calm and supposed caring façade is a dark side.

I don’t mean for this to turn negative. And Lord knows it would be truly great if it were otherwise, but it isn’t. None of that keeps some houses of worship from making a spiritual game of out being a saint.

You are supposed to sit in the pews, look happy and enjoy avoiding sin. Never mind that your mind is thinking lustful thoughts about the member of the opposite sex who is sitting nearby or you are simmering with envy over some other person present who has something you don’t. Just look happy darn it and no matter how pissed off and miserable you are deep down, regardless of the what dark and evil thoughts really are brewing, polish up that denial halo and feel saintly.

Now tell me that doesn’t happen in some churches? It might not occur in all houses of worship the same way, but as long as there are those who see denial and keeping the law as the path to heaven this type of reality will exist.

Perhaps the one problem is with the word saint. We often think of it as meaning some kind of perfect person who is inherently good. That might in one form or another be our interpretation, but it isn’t the Lord. A saint is simply one who is has been set aside or called to the Lord’s purpose. There is nothing in that, which implies we are perfect or even good.

The really source of joy for a believer should be in Christ and the awareness of our salvation and especially our forgiveness. That type of happiness is genuine and enduring. The type that is force from thinking you are pleasing God by pretending to give up a sinful life while clinging to it deep down will never yield the fruit of the spirit.

I have sadly seen people who spent their entire lives living by that standard. And often they are so filled with bitterness and unhappiness. I can just sense the sexual frustrating, as well as from other suppressed lusts, oozing from their eyes.

Only I appreciate they will never come to any point of honesty on this reality. I’ve witness too many of them that died stubbornly refusing to face the truth. And even though it is for the Lord to judge I also understand how for this person they expect that they will be entitled to some reward for all that denial of their lusts in this life. Alas to wish something sinful in your heart even if you don’t act on it is to be guilty of sin according to our lord.

As for myself, I want to embrace my lord and thank him for my salvation and forgiveness. I want to be free in the Lord, which means not kidding myself about my sin. Hopefully there will be more who feel the same in this life than those who think their halos of denial is a ticket to heaven.