The Chinese Placemat

While waiting for our food in a Chinese restaurant I read the paper placemat printed with a Chinese Zodiac.   I discovered I was born in the year of the horse and I am hardworking, resilient, wise and dependable.   “Absolutely right on,” I thought.  However then I read the descriptions of the people born in the year of the snake, goat and whatever.  I would have been thrilled with any of those descriptions.  Isn’t it interesting how we just love to believe it when we are told good things about ourselves?   Reality can be miles away but we eat up the flattery.

How about a legitimate dose of reality?  You probably are a better person than you think you are.  However, you are probably a worse person than you think you are.  Few of us know the truth about ourselves.  Because we have been sheltered or not exposed to various situations we don’t know how we would react if thrust into something bizarre.   We hope for the best.

Here is some more reality.  You are a sinner and have no rightful claim to citizenship in God’s Kingdom.  You disqualified yourself most likely prior to your adolescent years.  That is the bad reality.  Now, here comes the good reality.  We have a Savior.  His name is Jesus.  He and He alone has the power, the prerogative and the intent to make sure you become and stay a citizen.  He does it out of unexplainable  love for you.  Now here comes the great reality.  Once in the Kingdom remarkable transformations begin. They are slow and subtle.  Honesty replaces dishonesty.  Love for others replaces conceit.  As eternity passes you grow into something far more wonderful than any description on a Chinese placemat.

Written on January 19, 2009

Spring of Life Ministry, PO Box 124, St.Helena, CA 94574

rogerbothwell.org