At The Foot Of The Cross

I find in the gospel that I'm woke to the right view of myself, and others, no matter where they're from, their gender, their sexual orientation, or their race. You see the gospel won't let me think too much of myself, but neither will it allow me to think myself as lowly. What I'm called to acknowledge is my fallenness, my need for redemption, and then I'm asked to look to the cross. I can take no credit for Christ's work on the cross, but I can claim it. I can't earn its rewards, but I can receive them. I heard it said this way "the Christian knows he is more broken, sinful, and wicked than he could ever imagine, yet at the same time more loved, accepted and restored than he could ever hope". It is awareness and acknowledgment of this reality that fosters the unique humility which marks a Christian. You see only in light of the gospel am I fully aware of who I am. Only at the foot of the cross do I understand the grace I've been shown, and this understanding fosters within me a sense of gratefulness, gratitude, and most of all humility. I carry this awareness with me as I go about my day, as I meet others, as I interact. Should I fail to grasp this reality even for a moment, and I sometimes do, the Holy Spirit is there with his hand on my shoulder. Yet he is not there to berate me, condemn me, or accuse me in the midst of my shortcomings and failures. He is there to lovingly remind, correct, and restore me. So you see the gospel is unmatched and unparalleled in all of human history. No other religion, no philosophical teaching, no social, cultural, or political movement can touch it when it comes to fostering a right understanding of oneself and others. Why? because it's grounded in God's truth. That truth says that all God's creatures are created in his image and likeness, all are precious to him, and all are to be treated with dignity and respect. Remaining woke to this understanding is what I will seek all of my days.

Brett Rosson

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