Traffic Jams...Will They Just Drive!

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Do you ever sit in your car and wonder, “Why is there a traffic jam? There's no parade. So why aren't these people driving?!" We begin to get upset because we believe we are the only ones in a rush to go nowhere. As we continue to wonder, we hope that it's not an accident because we will feel bad for being impatient. Then you notice them...the gappers! Gappers are the drivers who decided to have 25 car lengths in between them and the driver in front of them during rush hour. All in all, we realize the traffic jam is not their fault so we continue to sit there and wait. After sitting in traffic for about 30 minutes, we finally start to move. Isn't that the worse? We continue to think, "Who was the one person who caused this 30-minute traffic jam?"  This is sin. Sin is like that one person who caused a traffic jam for everyone else. When we commit sin it does not just affect our relationship with God, but everyone around us.

Ever have a friend that considers themselves a Christian, but their lifestyle says otherwise? They get drunk every other weekend, they treat people anyway they feel, they do everything the Bible says they should not do, etc. Since they go to church on Sunday and pay tithes, they believe it should be enough to call themselves Followers of Christ. We were those girls. We were very prideful, showed love to others when we felt like it, got drunk, lacked forgiveness, slept with our little boyfriends, the list goes on. We attended church on the regular and believe that was enough. One day, one of us had a conversation with a friend who was an atheist. He told me, "You and I do the same things so I feel like I am doing nothing wrong." Honestly, I couldn't even disagree because he was right. As Christians, we are supposed to reflect Christ in all parts of our life. I am supposed to lead people to Christ by my lifestyle; instead I was making my friend feel good about his life without Christ. My sins were putting stumbling blocks in front of him. Paul's letter to the Corinthians tells us to be careful about exercising our liberties (1 Corinthians 8:9) and discrediting our platform for Christ (2 Corinthians 6:3) as they will become stumbling blocks for others. I was doing just that because I made my life about me. Could I call myself a true Follower of Christ? Lukewarm people attend church fairly regularly it is what is expected of them, what they believe “good Christians” do. (Isaiah 29:13) We were those lukewarm Christians. Could I say that I loved God? Those who love Him keep His commands. (Deuteronomy 7:9, John 14:15) I really didn't love Him because I loved myself more not realizing it was causing me and others around me to stumble.

Our sins affect us and our sin affects others. That is why in the New Testament it is called "The Body of Christ" because we are one. For example, if you discovered your pastor was committing adultery that would affect your view not just of him, but the people he appointed, the people in the church, and even the things he taught you. Why? Because we are a body. The best way to live for Christ is to lead by example regardless if we are around a family member, co-worker, or friend. If your life reflects Christ, the people around you will know who you follow and not second guess it. We need to seek Him and build a relationship with Him that makes you never want to sin. We will never be sinless, but to be conscious of sins and not to live in sin we must obtain. (Romans 3:20) Having a relationship with God is an everlasting journey that will intensify the human experience beyond your wildest hopes and dreams. Life will not be perfect, but it will be whole. He is the sin vaccination to the universal. He did this through sacrifice. (John 3:16) Isn't that mind boggling? God is so crazy faithful and amazing. He took the sacrifice and we have to allow Him to take the place in our heart. How can we allow God to save us, but not change us? We have to let Him reside in the very place that makes you who you are. Your heart. Paul explained, "It is no longer I that lives, but Christ that lives in me. (Galatians 2:20). We have to stop creating traffic jams in our lives because not only is it frustrating and a waste of time, but it stops us from getting where we need to be. 

We blame our mother for these sweaters....Lol

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#OldSinsNewCreation
Eph. 4:22-24

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