Ephesians 5:12-3 - Over-magnification of Sins

 

These devotionals are timed to be under three minutes, which of necessity means that there will be oversimplification.

Yesterday, we looked at magnifying sin: enough for someone to help remove a splinter from your finger... or a log from your eye! But there's a healthy way of doing this.

When James says, ""Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other," he also refers to the prayers of "a righteous person" (James 5:15, New Living Translation, 2015)

That means that we should seek someone who is spiritually strong enough to hear the stuff that we'd normally like to hide and forget about. Someone without spiritual maturity may get dragged down by our sin and weakness--if not into the very same issues.

Paul wrote,
"12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them..." (Ephesians 5:12–13, NLT)

This verses is about those who do not confess their sin to anyone, but the principle is the same: it is not the torrid details that are brought to light, but intentions and motives.

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I grew up in an expanding suburb of Chicago. Behind our house was a yet undeveloped field that was only about .165 square miles. To my brothers and I it seemed huge.

The far side of the field had an impressive stand of cottonwoods. That's where we went exploring with our cousins one summer day. To take a break from the hot sunlight, we crawled under some large, sprawling bushes. Getting comfortable, one of my cousins leaned back and put his hand in something brown, smelly and squishy. Nearby toilet paper confirmed the worst. Our day of exploring ended in a mad dash back to the house.

Someone didn't know the Old Testament law:
"12 You must have a designated area outside the camp where you can go to relieve yourself. 13 Each of you must have a spade as part of your equipment. Whenever you relieve yourself, dig a hole with the spade and cover the excrement." (Deuteronomy 23:12–13, NLT)

It's another specific way to, "Treat others the same way you want to be treated." (Matthew 7:13, KJC paraphrase)

Larry Crabb once said, “Emotional exhibitionists who regard the display of neurosis as a virtue make a fetish out of becoming vulnerably open.”

Healthy confession focuses on motives, not graphic details that leaves the listener wanting to take a bath in hand sanitizer.

God, it's humbling to be vulnerable with someone else about our faults and failures. It can be just as difficult to hear someone ask for prayer for healing from their own sin. Either way, give us discernment both in what to say and in how to listen. Bring forgiveness to all of us--for our healing and for Your glory. Amen.

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PS - Deuteronomy 23:14 continues: "The camp must be holy, for the Lord your God moves around in your camp to protect you and to defeat your enemies. He must not see any shameful thing among you, or he will turn away from you."
God made the human body and all its functions. Perhaps the intent of this verse is that God doesn't want to see the shamefulness of people not treating others the way they want to be treated.