SEEST Thou This Woman?

One thing we all have to deal with no matter who or where we are is relationship. Relationships. With other people.  Which isn't one thing, I guess, it's a lot of things, but it all falls under one sub-heading. :)

We are relational beings.  That's why even when people are stranded on islands in literature they inevitably end up talking to coconuts or making friends with cannibals.  But sometimes relationships can be RIDICULOUSLY difficult...especially if you're friends with a cannibal.  Relationships are so complex and intertwined that it can be very hard to know how to handle them.  There isn't a one-size-fits-all answer, because every single relationship we have is different.  However, there are certain principles that will NEVER change whether it's a:

• romantic relationship
• a relationship with your parents
• or children
• or siblings 
• or other obnoxious family members 
• with coworkers who drive you up the wall
• a boss who's hard to please
• people in church
• even the people we pass on the street. 

The biggest thing I've learned is that to know how to treat people we have to get an accurate picture of how God sees them.


I'm going to throw this out there: right now the gospel of Luke is probably my favorite book in the Bible!  That'll probably change when we begin studying another book in our Bible study once we're done with this one, but there is such a richness and depth in studying and comparing the gospels and Luke is what I've been focusing on.  When you dig deep into the gospels, understanding where the writers are coming from, and who their original audience is, we can learn so much about what they were trying to communicate about our Savior, the Son of God!  As we've studied Luke, I've begun to develop a picture of how He views people and how He wants us to do the same thing.
First off, let me give you somethings to guide you when YOU study Luke so that you understand where I'm coming from:

Some Major Themes:
- The Kingdom of God is not what you'd expect.
- Jesus reaches and accepts those who are generally looked down upon or rejected.
I see these two things over and over again as I study Luke, and the two constantly overlap and connect with each other.

These themes also make sense knowing a little about Luke.
Luke was not one of the original disciples.
He was a physician.
He was a companion of Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles.
Most likely, he was a Gentile, because of his name and the fact that Paul doesn't include him in the list of the circumcision in Colossians.  If so, he was the only Gentile writer of the Bible.

It makes sense that Luke would be giving a picture of Jesus' kingdom which focuses on accepting those who aren't generally accepted, just as he himself was accepted by Jesus when he wasn't part of the Jewish nation.

As we read through Luke we see a focus on women, children, Samaritans, tax collectors, diseased, Gentiles (like the centurion and Legion), widows, etc.  Even in just a comparison of the birth stories between Matthew and Luke, we can see the writers' different focuses.

Matthew

• Tells the story from Joseph's perspective
• Starts out with a Hebrew genealogy tracing from Abraham (the father of the Jews) to Jesus
• Visitors to Jesus are the magi or wise men bearing precious gifts
• Herod the king is jealous of this newborn king and orders the slaughter of the innocents

Luke:

• Tells the story from Mary's perspective
• Ends with a genealogy that tracks backwards from Jesus all the way back to Adam (the father of all mankind)
• Visitors first told of Jesus' birth are lowly, uneducated shepherds
• Mary and Joseph are portrayed as poor, but recognized and told by influential people like Elisabeth, Zechariah, Anna, Simeon, and the angel Gabriel, that Jesus is the one who is coming to bring about the kingdom of God in which all will be saved.

Do you see a pattern?  Matthew focuses on Jesus as the Jewish messiah who fulfills the prophecies and has come as the King of the Jews, and what that kingdom represents to His followers!  Luke focuses on Jesus as the accessible savior of all mankind!

Okay, so you may be saying, That's interesting, but what does that have to do with me?  I'll focus in on a story about Jesus and how he treats people that's unique to Luke and then tell you what he says about how we're supposed to treat people.

In Luke 7, we find this very interesting story:
Luke 7:36-50 KJV
(36)  And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
(37)  And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment,
(38)  And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
One thing Luke is also very fond of is contrasting those who should get it but don't, with those who shouldn't get it, but do.  We have a classic example here.  Here's a Pharisee who knows the law inside and out and should understand the character of God, inviting Jesus in, and here's a woman who Luke only classifies as a sinner, (which makes me think her sin was very in-your-face and obvious) and shouldn't know anything about God, who also comes and begins weeping with conviction and washing Jesus' feet with tears, and wiping them with the hairs of her head, because she doesn't know any better, kissing his feet, and anointing them with ointment.  The stage has been set.  These two characters are already a stark contrast.  The clean, lofty Pharisee with the dirty, lowly sinner woman.
(39)  Now when the Pharisee which had bidden him saw it, he spake within himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him: for she is a sinner.
This is a very significant part of the story.  When the Pharisee looks at the woman, he sees one of his theological classifications.  (We all have them.)  And as he looks, he thinks that if Jesus were a prophet he would know who she is...he would know that she is a sinner!  In reality, Jesus knew who she was better than even Simon, as we'll see, but let's look at his response to Simon.
(40)  And Jesus answering said unto him, Simon, I have somewhat to say unto thee. And he saith, Master, say on.
I love the way Jesus answers him first of all.  The Pharisee only speaks WITHIN himself and Jesus answers what he was thinking, kind of proving that He has more than prophetic abilities to know about people.  But I also love the way Jesus answers him.  Sometimes we can get excited when Jesus bashes the Pharisees and say, "Yeah, that's what I want to do!"  But even though Simon's thinking is wrong in this verse Jesus answers him gently, and tries to reach his heart with a story.  Also, Luke has just been referring to him as 'a certain Pharisee', but Jesus addresses the certain Pharisee by name.  This shows me that he cares about this Pharisee's soul.
(41)  There was a certain creditor which had two debtors: the one owed five hundred pence, and the other fifty.
(42)  And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly forgave them both. Tell me therefore, which of them will love him most?
(43)  Simon answered and said, I suppose that he, to whom he forgave most. And he said unto him, Thou hast rightly judged.
Jesus uses a story to reach his heart...now check this out.
(44)  And he turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head.
(45)  Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
(46)  My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment.
(47)  Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little.
I love this!  First of all, look at verse 44...Jesus turns TO the woman.  He's looking at the woman at this point, but he's still talking to Simon.  And he asks this question...I always glossed over this before, but it jumped out at me when I read a book by Michael Card on this subject.  Jesus asks, "SEEST thou this woman?"  You were looking at this woman, Simon, you placed her in a theological category in your mind, but do you really SEE her?  Do you see her for who she is?  And in turn, do you see Me for who I am?  She gets it.  You didn't even treat me with common courtesy and dignity.  But this repentant woman who needs forgiveness of sin loves me MUCH.  It wasn't that Simon didn't have many sins to be forgiven...it was that he perceived his debt as small, while she realized how great her sin was, so she loved much.  It was a difference in perspective.  And Jesus turns to this woman and sees her for who she is, a woman with a name, and responds like this:
(48)  And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
(49)  And they that sat at meat with him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins also?
(50)  And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.
Jesus looked at the woman and saw her for who she was and wanted Simon to get that perspective too.  The end result of the way that Jesus sees her is that her faith saves her and she is forgiven of her sins!  The question this immediately prompts is do we see her the way Jesus did?  How do we see people?  Do we see them the way Jesus did or do we automatically put people into preconceived categorized boxes we have constructed for them?
Our problem is that we always seem to think certain people are exceptions.  If they treat us in a certain way and they know better, then we don't need to show them all the love and mercy that God shows us.  But look at the way Jesus describes the way people in the kingdom of God are supposed to act:
Luke 6:32-36 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.  (33)  And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.  (34)  And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.  (35)  But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil.  (36)  Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful. KJV
The whole passage is absolutely crucial to read to understand how He wants us to think of and treat people, from who He considers blessed and who He pronounces woe on versus our natural expectation of who is blessed, all the way to His warning against hypocritically pointing out other people's small faults in the face of your own.  So you should definitely go study up on that passage ;).  But these verses highlight that He expects us to treat people His way that we naturally don't want to.  Our enemies, sinners, those from whom we will probably receive nothing.  Why does He expect us to do this?  What justification is there for possibly living this incredibly difficult life?  Because then we will be the children of the Highest.  For HE is kind to the UNTHANKFUL and to the EVIL the very two reasons I most often hear people cite as justification for why it's okay for them to treat certain people poorly.  The standard of our mercy, should be our Father who is also merciful to US. How do we learn how we treat people?  Jesus, the image of the invisible God.  If we look at Him, we see the Father, so as we study the way He lives His life, we will learn how to treat people.  As you look at your relationships...in every context with any kind of people...ask God to give you His heart for them.  Ask to see them the way that He sees them.  He will show you.

Seeking God's Kingdom

This was the last meditation commentary I wrote at the college I was attending, Verity Institute, before I left, meaning that it is also the last of my med-com series.  If it waxes a little sentimental with references about Verity, you'll simply have to forgive me.  I hope these medcoms have been helpful to someone!

Command 14—Seek God’s Kingdom

“No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life . . . . But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”  —Matthew 6:24-33

•“But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,” —Philippians 3:7-8

Name of God

•Adonai (אֲדוֹנָיִ): Lord and Master

–”And the people said unto Joshua, Nay; but we will serve the Lord.”    Joshua 24:21

            Seek God’s Kingdom.  What an appropriate medcom to end on, after the time spent here at Verity.  These three words should be the encapsulating phrase that sets the stage and provides the framework for everything everyone leaving Verity (and those who are staying here incidentally) does.  It is especially meaningful to me, as I leave.  I am among the ranks of young people whose futures are opening up before them.  This is one of the most exciting and adventurous times of our lives.  Decisions that will be made in the next few years will be the determining factors that set the course for the rest of our lives.  Career, further education, marriage, location, church, ministry, friends, family, life and love are all opening up and are things that must be decided on.  The overarching theme, however, are those three words.  Seek God’s Kingdom.  Romans chapter 15 is a very interesting chapter to me.  The ending especially is not something that is preached on a ton.  Paul is writing to the Romans, and outlining his travel plans for the future, which may not be something we think we would get a lot out of, especially after we read the book of Acts and realize that a lot of what he was planning did not actually happen!  His intention was to bring money to the church at Jerusalem then travel to Rome on his way to Spain to preach the gospel.  Instead, when he went to Jerusalem, he was arrested and appealed to Caesar, and ended up going to Rome on a prison ship.  Why is this travel itinerary gone bad even in the Bible?  This is a question I was wondering as I studied the chapter, but as I thought through it, I actually began to get a lot of encouragement out of it.  Paul’s whole focus was the gospel.  He was actively seeking God’s kingdom and knew that his calling was to preach Christ wherever He had not yet been named.  Paul did not have a blueprint from God about exactly what to do, though.  He was just seeking God’s kingdom.  I do not believe it was wrong for him to make plans for the future that lined up with his calling, but Paul also understood that he was a servant.  Wherever his Master took him was where he was going to go, and he was going to put his all in wherever he was at.  There are numerous times in the book of Acts when Paul was planning on going one place but the Holy Ghost led him to go to another.   It can be tempting to get bent out of shape when our plans fall through, but if we are genuinely seeking God’s kingdom, with an understanding that Adonai is our Master and King, there is no reason to get upset.  If the King wants us to drop what we are doing and go somewhere else, we will, because we are serving Him.  We cannot serve both our plans and God’s plans, though.  Our plans must be submitted to His.  All the things that we have gained, we count loss for Christ so that we can win Him.   This is actually a comforting thought!  Wherever we are, we just have to focus on God’s kingdom and what He wants us to do in that moment, at that place.  If we are shipwrecked on an island on our way somewhere, we just focus on winning that entire island for Christ!  My time here at Verity was amazing, and God used it in incredible ways.  Now, as I leave, wherever I go, my focus is going to be on serving Him, and seeking His kingdom.  Seek God’s Kingdom.  Those three words will define the rest of my entire life.

Stewardship and Responsibility

Thriftiness vs. Extravagance

Thriftiness is multiplying my resources through wise investments so I have more to give back to God.

“And so he that had received the five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliverest unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more. His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.” —Matthew 25:20-21

“I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.” —Acts 20:35

Name of God •Our Reward:

–“After these things the word of the Lord came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.” –Genesis 15:1

            When we are given resources as Christians, it is our responsibility to use them wisely.  We are stewards of the gifts God has given us.  The apostle Paul described his role as an apostle as a minister of God, and a steward of the mysteries of God, then in 1 Corinthians 4:2 says, “Moreover it is required in stewards that a man be found faithful.”  To be a steward of God, we must be found faithful and responsible.   As we receive the ‘talents’ God has given us, we must evaluate what we are doing with them.  This certainly applies to our material, financial resources.  God owns everything, all the cattle on a thousand hills, and all the gold and silver, and thus, does not require anything material from us.  But He expects us to use the resources He has given us wisely.  Clearly, He has given us more than just money, though.  There are many blessings He has given us such as gifts, revelations, and knowledge.  As Paul said, we also are stewards of ‘the mysteries of God.’   In fact, the Bible says that God is our exceeding great reward.  The things we have been given from Him must be wisely used in this life to reflect His glory, and to be a good servant and faithful steward.  He has entrusted us with certain things that He expects us to use in accordance with His principles.  We are to invest in His kingdom by investing in other people, and influencing them to follow our great King!  What God has blessed us with, we in turn, can turn and bless others with “the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”  Philippians 2:1-2 frames this principle nicely for me.  Philippians 2:1-2 “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.”  These verses highlight our responsibilities to fellow believers in light of and on the basis of what we have already received from God.  If we have received from Christ comfort of love, fellowship of the spirit, any bowels and mercies, then it is our responsibility as faithful stewards of the beautiful gifts He has given us, to accurately represent our Master, to confer those gifts on others, having the same mind, and the result will be the greatest reward of all: which is fellowship with God Himself.  HE is our exceeding great reward!

Responsibility to Lay Up Treasures

Lay Up Treasures

“Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.”  —Matthew 6:19-21

“While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen:
for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
—II Corinthians 4:18

Name of God: El-Olam: The Eternal God

            Responsibility is a word that can quickly frustrate and overwhelm and burden a person.  It can be very easy to get caught up with all the things we have to do in our lives.  We have monetary responsibilities, especially as men, who are expected Biblically to take care of their families.  We have relational responsibilities to care for our families, our friends, the ones God has given us to disciple, and the lost.  We have responsibilities at church, at school, at work, and at home.  Responsibility is a huge umbrella that covers almost every single facet of our lives.  As a guy who is thinking a lot about the future, I can certainly relate to this.  My thoughts often go to where I will be in five years or so, perhaps with a wife, children, a home, a career, a ministry, a goldfish.  All of those things require responsibility from me then and now to prepare.  I want to start becoming the best possible husband and father I can be right now, as well as the best servant of God that I can possibly be.  As I finish up school and focus on assignments and deadlines and people and family, all of the responsibilities weigh heavily.  When we begin to get overwhelmed about all the things we have to do here on earth, it is important to take a step back, and examine things through an eternal lens.  This can be ridiculously difficult.  It is a nice thought, but often we simply feel that we do not have enough time to dwell on that kind of thing. It is so important to keep things in perspective, however.  Part of laying up treasures in heaven is fulfilling responsibilities here on earth.  Having a kingdom-minded focus of responsibility and laying up treasures in heaven will not negate most of the earthly responsibilities we have to fulfill.  However, it does help to prioritize things in a different way.  Which responsibilities are laying up treasure, and which are not?  When we look at things in light of eternity, our lives suddenly come into focus with sometimes entirely different meaning.  Let us take a step back and look at the eternal things in our lives today, to compartmentalize internal things properly.

Faith and Responsibility

Faith

•“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.” –Colossians 3:23-24

•“For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.”

    -II Corinthians 10:18

Name of God

•Author and Perfector of Our Faith:

–“Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” –Hebrews 12:2

            It seems that everything in the Christian life is something God does.  We could not do it on our own, so God came and did it.  He gives us one responsibility though.  We are not saved by works lest any man should boast.  We are saved by grace, but how? Through faith.

            Faith involves trusting God, more than simply believing.  It is like taking a car to the mechanic.  The mechanic does all the work on the car.  The mechanic is the one with all the knowledge, all the tools, all the experience, and all the ability, however, there is still a responsibility on the part of the person bringing it in, and that is to trust the mechanic with the car.  The customer actually has to turn the car over to the mechanic.  That is what faith is like.  Jesus does all the work, He’s the author and perfecter of this whole system of faith, but we have to actually turn our lives over to Him.  The problem is that we keep trying to take the car of our lives back to fix it ourselves.  When we finally realize that we are making a bigger mess of it than it was before, we say we are going to turn it back over to the Mechanic, so that He can fix it.  He begins working on it then we grab it back again and try it by ourselves again.  The question really comes down to whether we trust Him and have faith in Him or not.

            It is perceived to be very difficult sometimes to know what it means to trust God and have faith in Him, and knowing when to yield to Him.  In reality, it is very simple, and the concept ties into the last post.  We know that we need to walk in the spirit, and the way we do that is by yielding to Him every day by practicing the secret disciplines of prayer and Bible reading.  We show God we trust Him by doing the simple things that He says works.  Demonstrating real faith really is our responsibility and it is not that much to ask from the author and finisher of the whole system.

Responsibility to Practice Secret Disciplines

Practice Secret Disciplines

Scripture Memory

•“. . . That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. . . . when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. . . . appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.” —Matthew 6:1-18

Name of God

•El Roi: The God Who Sees

–“And she called the name of the Lord that spake unto her, Thou God seest me: for she said, Have I also here looked after him that seeth me?”   --Genesis 16:13

            In a healthy human relationship, each party has certain responsibilities to fulfill.  If nothing else, each must work to maintain the relationship to some extent, even if it is only by responding to the other person’s attempts to keep the relationship alive by responding to invitations to eat or phone calls or texts, or even just by answering questions and engaging in conversations.  “It takes two to tango,” as the old saying goes, and this is just the nature of a relationship.  The same is true with our relationship with God.  People get caught up in humans ‘not doing anything’ for salvation, because of what the Bible talks about in relation to not earning our salvation by works.  The fact that we do not earn our salvation by works does not change the fact, however, that God does expect certain things of us and gives us certain responsibilities to maintain this relationship with our Savior.  Nor is it possible to be saved or have a relationship any other way.  God has already done all the work, in the sense that without His grace, and the lengths He has already gone to (coming to earth as a man and dying on the cross for us, not to mention His relentless pursuit of us by His Holy Spirit, and the ways He interacts in people’s lives daily), the relationship would not have even been possible.  Now that we are restored to right relationship however, we have a responsibility to respond to Him.  Without that response, there will be no relationship.  The most valued response to God has to do with what we call “practicing secret disciplines.”  This makes a lot of sense when we think about it.  It is secret in the sense that other people are not seeing it, but it is not secret in regard to El Roi, the God who sees.  He loves private communication that is done solely out of love for Him, and has no other motive.  Those are the disciplines He delights most in, because the motivation is solely Him.  Of course, this does not mean that it is not still a discipline and a responsibility on our parts to fulfill.  In every relationship, there are things we do solely for the relationship that sometimes we do not feel like doing, but know must be done, so we do them anyway.  That is where the discipline part comes in.  But when we do make those sacrifices, just because we love God, He delights and revels in it.  The responsibility necessary in maintaining one’s own end of the relationship can only be fulfilled by that person.  One person cannot hold up both ends.  (Romans 12:18)  But as much as it depends on you, fulfill that relationship.  God has already done as much and more than depends on Him.  Now all we have to do is respond by praying, fasting, reading the Bible diligently, etc.  Are we willing to do it?
Full of Faith=Faithful

Sincerity and Responsibility

Sincerity vs. Hypocrisy

Sincerity is being as genuine on the inside as we appear to be on the outside.

Scripture Memory

•“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: whom resist steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world. But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle you.” —I Peter 5:8-10

Name of God

•Go’el- God is our Redeemer

–“For thy Maker is thine husband; the Lord of hosts is his name; and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall he be called.” -Isaiah 54:5

            Sincerity is one of the most important concepts to me in my Christian life.  So many dilemmas with people and problems are avoided by the simple trait of sincerity.  But while it may be simple, that does not always mean it is easy to come by.  It can be easy to begin going through the motions of going to church and living for God and putting on a front of Christianity because of our perceived responsibilities of discipling people and maintaining our own reputation for the glory of God.  Oftentimes we develop a perspective that we must be on God’s PR committee, because we want to accurately represent Christianity.  The key, though, is to represent it accurately.  The biggest reasons I have heard from people leaving church or walking away from God, interestingly enough, does not usually have to do with logic or beliefs or hatred towards God or His Word; rather, the reasons people give many times have to do with people.  Critics of the church often cite hypocrisy as the main flaw of the church, and they are not necessarily wrong.  Hypocrisy is present.  God has redeemed us, but we do not always live that way.  Sometimes our emotions get in the way, and the logical part of living for God does not seem to make sense.  However, when this happens, people seem to get very caught up in the façade of presenting a pretty, pious picture of perfection.  My pastor cites a turning point in his life as a time when he was consistently praying, “God, I just want to be real,” and I have since adopted that as my constant prayer, and even as my spiritual heartbeat.  I want to be real.  I want God’s redemption to be an actual reality in my life, not just an act I am putting on.  If people come to God because of me, I want it to be because they see that He is real and really working in my life, not that I appear to have it all together on the outside.  We tend to get caught up in the responsibility of presenting a perfect image.  In reality, though, the most important responsibility in our entire Christian life is to be sincere and love without dissimulation, living a life sincerely, and honestly, and without hypocrisy before God.  Transparency is a key concept that goes right along with sincerity.  We know that we are not perfect, and make mistakes, and rather than attempting to justify the things that we do wrong, minimizing them, or covering them up as if they never happened, it is important to be real with people and admit that we are flawed.  People already realize that humans aren't perfect, and a sincere person doing their best to please God, but owning up to the things they do wrong is relatable.  When we present an flawless image, people instinctively realize it isn't real and immediately begin looking for the flaws.  Let's glorify God by living a redeemed life that reflects His glory, being real about who we are and where we're at.  Acknowledging that things aren't perfect in our lives is part of sincerity.  God loves a broken and contrite spirit.  With that mentality, we realize that our responsibility is to just live sincerely in a way that seeks after Him.  Living a life for Him, with an attitude that sincerely wants Him, loves Him, and desires to obey Him, and is not just spouting words.