Mistakes on Purpose

Did you ever notice that when your pet does something wrong, she hides from you? ( I say she because we have three lovely female Chihuahuas.) The other night, Lily, the youngest, stayed in her house all night. We had to coax her out to lay on the couch with us. It wasn’t until I turned on the light to the back hall that I realized why.

Having owned three dogs all this time, I should have done so immediately. But I just forget that even if they know better, they still fall short some times. They know not to, they don’t want to, they even scratch at the door at night to warn us, but sometimes they just can’t help it. Sometimes it is an accident, sometimes it is a mistake on purpose. Who knows? Their love for us doesn’t change the fact that they are fallible. Our love for them doesn’t change because they make mistakes.

This brought to mind my motherhood. I remember, decades ago, when my children were still young. They were out of the house and trying to live their own lives. It seems to me we talked regularly… most times. I would try to call them, no answer. I would email…nothing. I could always tell when they were making mistakes on purpose. Sometimes, when I would talk to them in person, I could always tell. They couldn’t look me in the eye. They changed the subject. They did whatever they could to try to avert my attention from the mistakes they were making on purpose. Sometimes, sadly enough, they avoided me altogether. I would go months without being able to talk to them. I would hurt to be near them. But if they were doing well, and being good, they would come out of hiding and be filled with joy.

It was similar to my work world as well. I was an investigator. I used to keep a jar of candy on my desk and offer it to those I would ‘interview’ about wrong doing. I was personable, respectful and understanding and yet, some people just wouldn’t accept the candy. Now, there are many more signs to guilt than this one, I am fully aware. There would be a cluster of signs that indicated potential mistruth. And more times than not, once they broke open and started talking, they felt better. And they almost always said that they would take that candy now. Guilt is a powerful motivator.

This isn’t new. This goes all the way back to the beginning of time. When Adam and Eve sinned in the garden, they hid from God. Why would we be any different?

Genesis 3:8-10 “⁸ And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool^[a] of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹ But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?”^[b] 10 And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

You know what? We still hide. As children, adults, Christians, non-Christians… we know, but we still make mistakes on purpose. We rationalize. We justify. We even get angry for an imagined wrong so that we can point to that and say, “No, it is because of _____, not because I am doing wrong!” I did it. You did it. For all I know you may still be doing it. But let me tell you this. He sees all. He knows all. Your sin will find you out just like it did our children, our parents and so many others that thought they were smarter than that. He is waiting for you to turn away from your wrong doing and come back to him.

 The good news is that God loves us. The bad news is that He hates sin. God never changes. He and His word are always the same. Sin separates us from God. (Remember the last post? You can’t have unforgiveness and sin and still be His.) We cannot be of the light and have sin in us. Will He use us and even save us from ourselves when we are in sin? I think so because He was with me and guiding me throughout my sinful journey. But will He eventually harden our hearts towards Him for continued sinning? Absolutely. He does that countless times in the bible. You see, He wants us to be saved. He loves us even when we sin on purpose. He knows what is in our hearts and Lord knows, literally, that the Holy Spirit tries to guide us in truth. But we have free will and that messes us up.

Don’t sin too long, don’t stray too far, don’t use it as an excuse to stay in sin. Or you may find that your own guilt and sin has hardened your heart to the point where He just lets you go. I personally would rather die, than be without the peace that surpasses all understanding. This world is too dark and twisted for me alone. Chaos rules in darkness and in this world. But He has given me peace.

He loves you, despite your mistakes on purpose. I love you despite your mistakes on purpose. I am pleading with you. Get right with the Lord. Confess your sins to Him, trust in Him as Lord and savior. Learn to say no and He will give you the strength to get to that place of peace.