I fell off the Jesus Wagon (Week 3 Review)



I fell off the Jesus Wagon this third week of #OnlyOneThing, the Bible Study for Bad Christians (I am clearly living up to the title. #winning). 

This week, I was focusing on Galatians 3:28:

There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

I really did want to be nice to people all week--like hold the door, smile at strangers, carry groceries for the elderly, shovel strangers sidewalks, kind of nice.

However, I got distracted by things like:
  • A broken furnace
  • A teething, borderline psychotic 13-month-old
  • An almost-tween with the mouth of a teen
  • The middle child 
  • Fondant
  • Glow in the dark glitter
  • Wine
  • Snow
  • And something shiny in the corner of dining room, that I am too lazy to pick up (perhaps it is tinsel? glow in the dark glitter? a quarter?)
I think something like this happened during Week 1; but I am too lazy to read the recap (and also slightly afraid.) The thing is, this week, I was so amped up to be the friendliest, most-Midwestern person in New Jersey that I lost the forest for the trees. I was so distracted by trying to figure out when I could hold the door, that I did not see the lady struggling to carry her groceries five feet away. 

I was not really seeking opportunities to be a sister in Christ; I was just insisting I hold doors (and in turn, blocking the door and causing scenes) and then becoming self-absorbed in my own need to be Jesusy. 

And it is not about me (remember week 1--I am not God, you are not God. God is God.) 

So, I failed. 

However, so many of you succeeded, without even realizing it. My neighbor who drove in the snow storm to bring me a space heater, other friends and neighbors who offered a warm house, friends who wanted to bring us meals and more space heaters, the heating oil delivery man who fixed our heater after a long cold day racing from home to home without asking for payment and happily accepted a box of girl scout cookies, friends who texted with me when I was having ridiculous breakdowns over nothing important, and all the amazing friends to Chloe who celebrated her 5th Birthday.

I failed. But everyone around me succeeded. I’ll take it.

To close this week, I offer this prayer of confession from church this morning. I think it is perfect:

Almighty God, we confess that we have not been faithful to you in our thoughts and actions. We have been selfish in our desires and quarrelsome in our relationships. We have allowed fear to divide us from those who seem different, and let distrust separate us from our brothers and sisters. Shine your light into our darkened hearts. Save us from our divisive ways. United us in the same mind as Jesus Christ who dwells with you and the Holy Spirit in perfect harmony. 
Amen.

Wonder what you’ve stumbled upon? Read past Only One Thing: The Bible Study for Bad Christians, here. 

Comments

  1. Amen! Great post and awesome end prayer... I'll repeat again and again having been distracted all too well myself.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, thank you Barb. I loved the confession today at church. I was totally stumped on how to update my week since I basically failed. The confession summed it up nicely. oxox

      Delete

Post a Comment