Up and Overcoming.

Dodger:  Hey there!  How's life?

Lilly:  Well, to be honest, I've been better.

Dodger:  Why?

Lilly:  I've been trying to shake a bad habit, and it's not working.

Dodger:  Well, that happens to all of us.  It's not unusual.

Lilly:  It is after you've been trying for six years and it STILL hasn't happened.

Dodger:  I didn't know you had a habit that old...

Lilly:  I'm just needlessly sarcastic.

Dodger:  You?

Lilly:  Yeah.  Like, the other day, someone asked me what I thought of their pizza with anchovies on it, and I told them that if you could get past the smell of the sewer system then it was just fine.  Obviously they didn't appreciate this much, and I apologized profusely.  Seriously, though!  Why do I say these dumb things?  I apologize to God, sure, and even say I'll never do it again, but then I do!  It's terrible.  How am I supposed to represent God when I can't get my act together after six years?!

Dodger:  Hmmm...well, the good news is that you aren't alone.

Lilly:  Okay, but even so!

Dodger:  No, really.  You aren't the only person who struggles with the same thing over and over!

Lilly:  Who else do you know that does?

Dodger:  How about Peter?

Lilly:  Peter?  We don't have any friends named...oh, that Peter.  The Apostle, you mean.

Dodger:  Yeah.  You know, he wrote parts of the Bible, helped lead thousands of people to Christ, and was one of Jesus' closest friends!

Lilly:  I know that.

Dodger:  You also know that at one point he denied Jesus three times.  He was afraid of what others would think, so he wasn't outspoken about being with Jesus.

Lilly:  Alright, but he only did that once.

Dodger:  Yes, but that wasn't the only time he was less than outspoken about what he believed.

Lilly:  Beg pardon?

Dodger:  I'll read you something from Paul's letter to the Galatians:

"Now when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed; for before certain men came from James, he would eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing those who were of the circumcision.  And the rest of the Jews also played the hypocrite with him, so that even Barnabas was carried away with their hypocrisy.  But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you, being a Jew, live in the manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews?  We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified." (2:11-16 NKJV, boldface added))
Lilly:  I don't think I get it.

Dodger:  Essentially, Peter wasn't eating with certain people because he thought others would judge him.  He was backing down from principle to make others approve his actions.

Lilly:  I'm still not sure I get it.

Dodger:  Well, it's been years since Jesus returned to heaven.  Peter still struggles with what other people might think or say over fourteen years after Jesus forgave him (Acts 2:1)!

Lilly:  Fourteen years?

Dodger:  Yep.  He was a mighty man of God, and he still slipped in the same place years after being forgiven for it. I'm not saying for a moment that repetitive mistakes aren't bad, but let me tell you Lilly, they don't stop God from doing amazing things through you.

Lilly:  Wow.  Thank you, Dodger.

Dodger:  I struggle with bad habits too, you know.  Everyone does.  We just need to keep moving on when we make mistakes, ask God for forgiveness, and trust Him to keep us going.  Every day is a new opportunity.  We rely on him through success and failure.  Don't ever forget that.  Keep praying and asking God for help.

Lilly:  I will, Dodger.  Thanks for your help.

Dodger:  It's not me, it's God.  It's by His grace that we overcome our imperfections as we try to serve Him, pure and simple.  Well, looks like we'd better get going.  Remember, Jesus loves you, and that's not about to change, no matter what you do!

Lilly:  See you!





(NKJV Means New King James Version)