Stinker Stickers
We are aggressively working toward potty-training Edie. To help expedite our efforts and increase Edie's learning curve we are bribing our two year old with stickers. Each time she goes potty on the potty she gets a new sticker on her potty chart which now gloriously decorates our refrigerator. I like to call these stinker stickers.
I find it amazingly curious, on the verge of disturbingly confusing, that we are rewarding Edie for bowel movements. We are giving her stickers in exchange for stinkers. Quite frankly, this is messing with my highly refined and sophisticated Harnett County sensibilities. Does it make any sense that Edie should be rewarded for nothing more than depositing her shiznit in a toilet?
Isaiah 64:6 says, "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment."
Much of what the Bible teaches is offensive and messes with our human sensibilities. We like to make much of ourselves and place an inordinate high value on the supposed "good" we believe ourselves capable of. We tend to quickly fall into the wrongheaded thinking that somehow we can impress God with all of our "good" deeds. We easily become victimized by the fallacy that through our "good" efforts we can earn the favor of the all-good, all-holy God of the universe.
But the Bible clearly teaches that our "good" works are in no way capable of earning God's goodwill toward us. God clearly says in Isaiah 64:6 that ALL of our "good" works are like a "filthy garment." The literal translation is that "all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag." Not a pretty picture is it?
However, Psalm 19:11 says that God rewards those who keep His Word. In Matthew 6:18 Jesus confirms that God does in fact reward His children. What we must keep in mind is not that our efforts are deserving of reward but rather that our efforts receive a reward simply because God is gracious. If a deed is "good," it's only because God prepared that good work for us (Eph. 2:10) and because it glorifies Him (Matt. 5:16). So it's not what we do that makes something good as much as it is what God does with it.
We have a good God! He is quick to bless with gracious and generous love. He is a Good Father and He enjoys giving good gifts to His children. In other words, He is quick to reward us with stinker stickers.
How do we get stinker stickers from God?
Now go out and get yourself some stinker stickers!
In awe of Jesus,
Pastor Rick
I find it amazingly curious, on the verge of disturbingly confusing, that we are rewarding Edie for bowel movements. We are giving her stickers in exchange for stinkers. Quite frankly, this is messing with my highly refined and sophisticated Harnett County sensibilities. Does it make any sense that Edie should be rewarded for nothing more than depositing her shiznit in a toilet?
Isaiah 64:6 says, "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy garment."
Much of what the Bible teaches is offensive and messes with our human sensibilities. We like to make much of ourselves and place an inordinate high value on the supposed "good" we believe ourselves capable of. We tend to quickly fall into the wrongheaded thinking that somehow we can impress God with all of our "good" deeds. We easily become victimized by the fallacy that through our "good" efforts we can earn the favor of the all-good, all-holy God of the universe.
But the Bible clearly teaches that our "good" works are in no way capable of earning God's goodwill toward us. God clearly says in Isaiah 64:6 that ALL of our "good" works are like a "filthy garment." The literal translation is that "all our righteous deeds are like a menstrual rag." Not a pretty picture is it?
However, Psalm 19:11 says that God rewards those who keep His Word. In Matthew 6:18 Jesus confirms that God does in fact reward His children. What we must keep in mind is not that our efforts are deserving of reward but rather that our efforts receive a reward simply because God is gracious. If a deed is "good," it's only because God prepared that good work for us (Eph. 2:10) and because it glorifies Him (Matt. 5:16). So it's not what we do that makes something good as much as it is what God does with it.
We have a good God! He is quick to bless with gracious and generous love. He is a Good Father and He enjoys giving good gifts to His children. In other words, He is quick to reward us with stinker stickers.
How do we get stinker stickers from God?
- Read the Bible and become familiar with God's commands
- Be discipled and learn how to honor God through your deeds
- Pray for God to reveal to you the specific good works prepared for you
- Be grateful for God's generous grace and abundant love
- Enjoy the gospel - be motivated to good works because of Jesus
- Do all things for the glory of God
Now go out and get yourself some stinker stickers!
In awe of Jesus,
Pastor Rick
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