Monday, March 26, 2007

Who Said Everyone Is Perfect?

I have been thinking a lot about people who might struggle with being perfect. Well I have news for you, no one is perfect! And I have a few examples of people who were not perfect, and some of these men are called saints now. I had this thought of looking at seven of the twelve disciples. These seven were not perfect, but they walked with the perfect one (Jesus).
Nathanael was a skeptic. In my own opinion Nathanael looked down on Jesus because of where he was from. In John 1:45 and 46 it says... "Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph (v45). And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him. Come and see (v46)."
Matthew was a tax collector. In Bible days most tax collectors took more money then what they were suppose too. In Matthew 9:9 it is a beautiful sight to see Jesus call someone that most people hated. "And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him (v. 9)."
Then we have Doubting Thomas. John 20:25 says this... "The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the prints of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe (v. 25)." Later he did see Jesus and he believed.
James and John were the brothers so full of themselves. They thought Jesus would surely grant their request of where they thought they should sit in Heaven. Mark 10:35-37, "And James and John, the sons of Zebedee, come unto him, saying, Master, we would that thou shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire (v35). And he said unto them, What would ye that I should do for you (v. 36)? They said unto him, Grant unto us that we may sit, one on thy right hand, and the other on thy left hand, in thy glory (v. 37)." In another part of the Bible we see that James and John's mother came with them to make this request. This goes to show that James and John were momma's boys. Nothing wrong with being a momma's boy, just don't let your momma run your life (this goes for girls too). Matthew 20:20, "Then came to him the mother of Zebedee's children with her sons, worshipping him, and desiring a certain thing of him (v. 20)."
Now for the last two men, Peter and Judas Iscariot. Two men who betrayed Jesus the same night. Peter denied Jesus three times. Here is what Peter told Jesus, Matthew 26:35, "Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples (v. 35)." Not only did all the disciples lie to Jesus, because they all ran when the men came for Jesus. But Peter denied him three times and lied to him also. In Matthew 26:75 we find out the he remembers what Jesus said to him and it upsets him. "And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice (three times). And he went out, and wept bitterly (v. 75)."
Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus for money. Luke 22:3-6, "Then entered Satan into Judas surnamed Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve (v.3). And he went his way, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might betray him unto them (v. 4). And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money (v. 5). And he promised, and sought opportunity to betray him unto them in the absence of the multitude (v. 6)." In the end Judas sees he was wrong to betray Jesus, he repents, then he goes and tries to return the money. But in the end, Judas plays God himself and takes his own life.
Six of the seven men, even if they may have sinned, went on to do great things for God. Some wrote books in the Bible and they all were martyrs. Even up to their very last breath, God still used them. This only goes to show, that God does not use perfect people.

2 comments:

Racefan57 said...

perfectionism is a trait of mine...but I am FAR from it!!

Anonymous said...

My imperfections haunt me everyday. If everyone were perfect, it would be such a dull world.

I think God has a special love for the most imperfect people. Just look at King David. He was constantly making mistakes, but God always forgave him and considered him righteous.