Humble Pie
Would you be embarrassed to have dinner with Jesus?
Here’s what Jesus said when proud people (read: hiding their sins) didn’t like that Jesus was having dinner with obviously sinful people, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17 ESV).
Jesus didn’t come for you because you were already good. It doesn’t surprise him that you need to ask for forgiveness. He isn’t shocked. He isn’t embarrassed to be seen with you. He is ok with the fact that you are “sick.”
So if he isn’t surprised by you, then don’t let your failures surprise you either. Get humble, stay humble, be grateful for humbling. Humble pie means dinner with Jesus, if you let it.
If it surprises you that you have failed—sinned, messed up, hurt someone, thought something you shouldn’t, said something you shouldn’t—then you’ll be tempted to hide it, excuse it, or lighten the terminology you use to describe it. (“I wasn’t a bully. I was just being a little difficult. I have high expectations.” That sort of thing.) You’ll be tempted to steer clear of repentance and restoration and humbling. And you’ll miss out on dinner with Jesus.
But humbling is great! It brings us back to Christ. It reminds us that we are loved so much that he’d die for our sins. And the power of God’s love motivates us to pursue the good! It motivates us far, far better than shame, hiding, self-loathing, and willpower ever, ever could.
So don’t let it shock you that you sinned. Don’t let it keep you away from Jesus or from restoration with God and others. Pride separates you from your relationships, but not repentance. Jesus wants to have dinner with you. He wants to hang out with the repentant person and all his or her sinful friends. Have a slice of pie with Jesus every day.