I’m a huge believer in transparency and admitting our human brokenness.  One of the things I’ve been told before by people is that they appreciate the fact that I am willing to admit my imperfections and my need for grace.

I don’t see that as a strength, I see it just plain honesty.  There is no other path in life, but to admit that we are broken and in need of grace and redemption.  That’s why over and over again in scripture Jesus eats with those in need, gives grace and mercy to the broken and help to the needful.

We are all broken and need Jesus.

But here is the thing.  As great as our human brokenness is, the grace and power of Jesus are just as great.  Yes, we are needful and broken.  We are in need of redemption. But through the grace of God, we are not called to stay in our brokenness, but through faith, get up and walk towards the life God desires for us.  Listen to what we are told today in Colossians 3: 5-10:

5 Put to death, therefore, whatever in you is earthly: fornication, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). 6On account of these the wrath of God is coming on those who are disobedient. 7These are the ways you also once followed, when you were living that life. 8But now you must get rid of all such things—anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive language from your mouth. 9Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have stripped off the old self with its practices 10and have clothed yourselves with the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge according to the image of its creator.

We are told today to be put death those things that are destructive.  Refrain from these destructive sins. That’s why God hates sin so much because it destroys His children.  Sin is destructive and causes death.

We must, through God’s grace, refrain from these things.  Notice, Paul uses stark language.  We must “put to death.”  What things?

Fornication, sure. But not just that.  Others.  Greed.  Ager.  Malice.  Abusive language.  Lying.  The things that we must put to death aren’t just things that “they” do, it’s things that we all do.  It isn’t just “them” that need to put to death their sin, but we all need to put to death our sin.

We are all broken.  Me.  You. All of us. We all need Jesus.

But we are all called to be more than we are right now. We are called to be more than our brokenness.  We are called to avoid sin.  Put to death the sin our lives.  Walk towards Jesus.  Walk with Jesus.

And now as Paul tells us in Philippians, it is not we who work, but God who works within us.  We don’t just put to death our sin, but God, through His grace, puts them to death.

Today, know that we need Jesus. Avoid the things that are wrong.  Know you are broken, but know as well, through God’s grace, we can more than our brokenness.

Today, don’t just die to sin.  Live to Jesus.

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