I knew the paint was wet. I had just put it there, after all. Not five minutes ago. And, I had just been painting another piece. I had a paint brush in my hand. Still, I reached out to move the piece, and left gloved fingerprints on the formerly pristine surface. Why do we do such completely stupid things? How can I remember minute details from a movie I saw twenty years ago, or memorize swaths of the prayer book, and can’t remember not to touch wet paint?! At least I didn’t raise the paint-covered glove to my face in dismay. That would have been unbearable. 

This happened recently as I was painting the drawers on a piece of furniture, which I acquired to hold the previously-rambled-about lizard. It was given away for free because it had some damage. I used wood filler to fix the water damage and the gouges from who knows what. It’s all sanded down and primed, and I had just begun doing the topcoat of paint, a nice glossy enamel in gray. Oh well. Wet paint is blessedly forgiving.

Truthfully, we’re good at doing things we ought not to do. Not always intentionally, but sometimes because we just do stupid things. I love the sign I saw once that said, “Everything happens for a reason. But sometimes the reason is that you’re stupid and you make bad decisions.” We know better, but we do it anyway. Maybe it’s the car we regretted buying, that was beautiful, but ended up being a lemon. Perhaps we realized we shouldn’t have had a second piece of cake, because now we’re not feeling too well. Or it could be the moment when we thought it was a good idea to get the puppy, and forgot all that puppies mean, including the full-grown version.

In Romans, Paul says, “I don’t understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate, I do.” We often have a sense of what we should do, and we can seemingly forget it, or at least override it, in the short term. For Paul, this is a way of understanding sin, and how it is that we can claim to be a follower and still screw up. As Eugene Peterson summarizes it in his paraphrase, “So, if I can’t be trusted to figure out what is best for myself and then do it, it becomes obvious that God’s command is necessary.” Yes, for all our intelligence and good intentions, perhaps it’s not a great idea that we’re left completely to ourselves.

Most of our silly, absent-minded actions are relatively harmless. Other times, our choices have larger consequences or affect others. We know we shouldn’t be wasteful, yet we continue to use a lot of disposable products. We may have been taught how damaging gossip can be, but we can’t help but pass it along, even if it might damage someone’s reputation. We’ve heard the Gospel of Love countless times, but we still struggle with hatred and demonize those we don’t like or understand. Yep, these are the times we need to hear God’s expectations again.

I’ve always had to fight the urge to roll my eyes when someone says they don’t come to church because churches are full of hypocrites. Well…duh! We hypocrites are the ones who need to be in church the most! We know we fall short of the mark Christ has set for us. Yes, we know what we’re supposed to do, or not supposed to do, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. I mean, healthy people don’t usually go to the doctor, right? Hmmm…maybe that analogy helps explain Christmas and Easter folks…they only go annually as a sort of spiritual checkup, but otherwise don’t need anything from the body of Christ? Maybe we won’t go down that road just now. 

The truth is, our life is a lot like strolling through the park of life, knowing full well that there are wet paint signs on the benches, but sitting on them anyway. It’s just who we are and how we are made. Church is the chance to wipe that paint away and try again, although it’s very tempting to sit down again, isn’t it? Thank goodness we know a God of grace. God is blessedly forgiving, too. So, I’ll make you a deal; keep doing your best, ask for forgiveness when you fall short, and try again. And come hang out with the rest of us hypocrites in church. We haven’t painted the pews, so you should be fine, no matter where you choose to sit. 

Tom+

Now there is rejoicing in heaven; for you were lost, and are found; you were dead, and are now alive in Christ Jesus our Lord. Abide in peace. The Lord has put away all your sins.

Penitent  Thanks be to God.

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