Confession: I speed. I do, dang it. My rule is no more than ten (or so) over. That’s not so bad, is it?? Am I incriminating myself right now??
Why do we I minimize sin?
Snapshot: Stop Please
October 9, 2008 · 19 Comments
Categories: culture · my world · seminary · snapshots · spirituality · thoughts on life · world
Tagged: christianity, law, life, sin
19 responses so far ↓
Jim Darlack // October 9, 2008 at 3:00 pm
I cringe every time I see “please” on the stop sign. It turns the stop sign into a friendly suggestion or a request rather than a command. (So now I’ve increased my speed on campus accordingly.)
Vicki // October 9, 2008 at 3:25 pm
I was just thinking the other day: is it a sin to disobey goverment laws?
I also love speeding. And here in South Africa we get away with it a lot because it’s pretty much a third world.
Is that wrong? Is that a sin? Yep, I bet it is.
Herewith, I beg forgiveness for that (please).
jon mark // October 9, 2008 at 3:49 pm
we minimize, because we’re all about image…self-image and feeling good about who we are and what we do…so we can’t really sin that bad…and also our image according to others…we minimize so they don’t think less of us…
Jordan // October 9, 2008 at 4:20 pm
You’ve got to be kidding me!? That’s ridiculous!!!
Holly // October 9, 2008 at 4:40 pm
i’m glad you put this pic up. i think it’s hilarious. only at a seminary…
traciejane // October 9, 2008 at 5:18 pm
Maybe we minimize to avoid as much as possible saying the words I am sorry. Who in the world likes to admit their weaknesses and where they fall short? It’s humbling and painful. Thank the Lord the truth is we all fall short of the glory of God. It makes me think of Isaiah 6:5 where he realizes he is a sinner among sinners,not that he is among sinners. The easy route is to compare our sin as not as bad as others. The best route is repentance and forgiveness no matter how painful it is. Isaiah 6:5-10 totally.
@ngie // October 9, 2008 at 5:21 pm
Right after I read this post of your I read the daily feed from Ravi Zacharias’ ministry. Today’s was called “Harmless Petty Sins?”. Worth the 7 - 10 investment to read it. Very good: http://www.rzim.org/GlobalElements/GFV/tabid/449/ArticleID/10116/CBModuleId/1133/Default.aspx
Brandy // October 9, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Heres a little diddy I always keep to when speeding:
Five you’re fine. Ten you’re mine.
Lei // October 9, 2008 at 6:48 pm
I wonder if our tendency to minimize sin is evidence of our lack of understanding about how serious it is.
How very, very wide the gap between us and God.
And the huge necessity for Jesus to bridge that gap.
We NEED him to bridge it for us. And we humans are not so good at admitting or recognizing need so much.
If I stop and think about every. single. sin. I committed today - speeding (me too!), impatience, frustration, selfishness, on and on - I start to see how very NOT good I am.
And who wants to dwell on that? It’s easier to pretend we’re not THAT bad. What a deception from the enemy. If we don’t see the need for Jesus then the enemy gets his way.
sarahmarkley // October 9, 2008 at 8:31 pm
not sure.
to be honest, i drive like a grandma now. i got too many tickets so i stopped driving fast. i pretty much usually stick to the limit.
but, maybe i minimize sin in other areas…hmmm.
good question, mandy.
Becca // October 9, 2008 at 10:16 pm
Maybe because speeding, at least from the society standpoint, is…what you do. In this case, we minimize sin because we think, “who will it hurt? I don’t see any children or kitties, or duckies. And I’ll be ready to stop if I NEED to…”
we minimize sin because then it’s okay to give in. By minimize, it’s safe to also say “justify”. A person justifies smoking marijuana because they’re with their friends, and to abstain would cause a blemish on their social record. I minimize lying in order to avoid “hurting someone’s feelings” (In other words, I’m passive and lack integrity sometimes)
When we start seeing the mountain of sin a hill, we have ruined our ears against the holy spirit. I pray that will never, ever happen to any of us.
Dan // October 9, 2008 at 11:00 pm
i got yelled at by a middle-aged mom the other day for going 5 over in our neighborhood and felt like a teenage speed-demon again (actually, I almost wrecked because I was so shocked - it was probably more dangerous after her yelling than before
)… why does it seem like driving and money always are good indicators of our hearts?
Jennifer // October 9, 2008 at 11:13 pm
This cracks me up every time I see it…it does seem like I am being begged to stop.
Louise // October 10, 2008 at 2:51 am
Because we’re dumb enough to believe that sins lie on some kind of scale.
ric booth // October 10, 2008 at 10:15 am
Many speed limits are just too restrictive… I like Peter’s and John’s response to the Sanhedrin in Acts 4:19, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to obey you rather than God.”
Michelle // October 10, 2008 at 10:24 am
I like what TracieJane said.
I concur.
traciejane // October 10, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Thanks Michelle
cathi stegall // October 12, 2008 at 7:15 am
HA!!! I remember seeing that sign…and the purple trees, and the dorm formerly known as a tool house…and the amazing fields, and the trees, and the houses, and the funny pizza guy, and the boiled peanuts…oh how i miss you. i need another boston date soon!
alece // October 30, 2008 at 9:55 am
cathi’s comment here at the end made me smile really big. i could go for a reunion weekend right about now.
minimizing sin… ouch. i do that in my own life far too much.