Examining Ourselves

There is a reason the author of Hebrews wrote to the people to look out for roots of bitterness in each other.  (Heb. 12:15.)  It is written in a section talking about how we relate to fellow believers in the church.  It's easy to imagine why it would be easy to become bitter when we are surrounded by unbelievers mocking us and our choices, calling us "prude" and "Puritanical", "old-fashioned" and "totally out of touch."  (I'm not sure any of those are a bad thing, anyway, but they are said in harsh and demeaning tones.)  It is really disheartening when fellow believers treat us in the same way, using harsh and demeaning tones.  Mr. M and I get to enjoy the ignorant bliss that lives in the hearts and minds of the college students.  They are too young to be world-weary, and to have experienced the many ways believers bite and devour one another.  It is an unfortunate, but not new, reality, that sin isn't limited to unbelievers; it resides in every one of us.  We are told in Genesis 4:7 that sin crouches at our doors, desiring to have us.  1 Peter 5:8 tells us that the devil goes about like a lion, prowling about, just looking for someone to devour.  Not one of us, no matter how often we go to church, nor what position or title we hold there, is immune to sin.  Galatians 6:1 assures us that we are all more than capable of sinning; that's why the Scriptures tell us again and again how important it is that we examine ourselves and our attitudes to God and others, and think about the words we use as we relate to others.  God promises in Psalm 139 to help us examine our hearts so that we can fight the sin that crouches at the door.  In this we have hope.