“So, in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” Galatians 3:26-29
Have you ever sat quietly outdoors in a lawn chair and thought about your ancestors and your descendants; the one’s waiting in the wings who are watching and learning about you? I come from a lineage of sinful folks. They knew it and so did I. You, me and these Haitian children would probably see some of our lackluster traits in people in the Bible. But we are children of God.
The Bible doesn't try to paint any of its heroes as anything but real people with real flaws; like us. Consequently, Abraham becomes real, not despite his frailties, but because of them. Like all real people, he had weaknesses. Some of them are disappointing to look at, but they help us see the whole man. And those weaknesses help us learn how to regard our own.
One of Abraham's flaws was that he turned to deceit when his life was on the line. While he was in Egypt during the famine, he ended up lying to Pharaoh, saying that Sarah was his sister to save his own skin. Then, even after the scheme blew up in his face, he did the same thing again several years later!
Where do we get those lackluster traits that we would like to keep in a private closet in the basement? Did we inherit them genetically or did we learn them by example? If you have children or grandchildren, you may choose to share your past mistakes with them and help them learn from your failures. They won't think less of you; they'll admire your authenticity. Hopefully, they will feel closer to you. Your humility will prayerfully endear them to you, and it will give them the courage to confess their struggles to you.
Afterall, we all are Abraham’s seed. Today, there are gang members living in Haiti who have done terrible things to God’s people. They too are God’s children and we pray their evil deeds creating chaos in Haiti will come to a quick end and that they will repent of their sin and seek forgiveness and walk closely with God and right the wrongs they have brought to Haiti. And just as He did with Abraham, God can use us for His purposes in spite of our flaws. And in spite of those gang members flaws. And like this great patriarch Abraham, all of His children can pass on a legacy of faith to the next generation.
Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you,
Jay