How worldly!

Yesterday , Alex found himself in a predicament. He was not a good, little boy going to bed the night before. In addition, he was not at all cooperative or obedient about remaining quiet during "quiet time". I'm not looking for perfection here. Just don't scream your head off and run around upstairs when you're supposed to be playing quietly in your room. And at bedtime, I just want quiet, horizontal children. I don't think that's too much to ask. After failing miserably at following these simple rules, Alex was banished to his room for the rest of the day. He was also going to bed an hour early. So Alex devised a clever plan to avoid the consequences of his misdeeds. He set about cleaning his room. When he called me up to show off his great cleaning job, he was quite sure I would rescind the banishment. Imagine his surprise when I praised his effort, then explained that his good deed would not cover his disobedience. Now that I think about it, he didn't even show any repentance for his behavior, he just hoped his goodness would outshine his disobedience. The whole scenario made me so aware of the world's view of sin and good works. Alex really thought he could avoid the consequence of his repeated disobedience by performing an act of goodness. I guess it's human nature to think that way. How many people believe they will spend eternity in Heaven because of their goodness? A lot I think. The simplicity of God's plan seems so beyond the comprehension of most, so they rely on their own works to earn them something they think they deserve. Imagine standing before the Almighty Maker of the universe. Before you is the pitiful molehill of good deeds you occasionally performed. The sad, little hill is overshadowed by the vast mountain of sin you committed on a daily basis. Even if that was how God operated, how could anyone hope to come out ahead in that situation? And yet so many cling to their misguided belief, that in the end, the good in them will outweigh the bad. And somehow, their good works will magically hide the sinful life they lived. It truly boogles my mind when I see people reject God's free offer of forgiveness, with puffed up pride about their own greatness. A pride that says, "I'll take my chances on myself, rather than give up control to someone else. Even if that someone is the Savior of the world." It's sad, really. And very, very frustrating. I am thankful though, that as we talked through the situation, my little boy was able to see how illogical that thinking was. If only the world could have the mind of a child.