“Extenuating Circumstances” Devotional #39

            Have you ever found yourself in an extenuating circumstance?  I have.  There have been times when I have tried to make my mistakes less serious than they really were.  There was a time when I was the Youth Leader of a small church.  I was in college at the time and working part time.  We had planned a Spaghetti Dinner but, because of the lack of time and planning I decided to cancel it.  I thought I had let everyone know that the dinner was cancelled.  There were two ladies that showed up the night the dinner was supposed to be held.  They hadn’t eaten dinner and were looking forward to the meal.  To this day I will never forget the look of disappointment on their faces.  I apologized and gave explanations as to why it was cancelled.  Though to everyone else there the excuses seemed to have calmed the situation but I felt bad about trying to make light of the situation. 

            There were so many times in my life that I tried to cover up my tardiness problem.  They seemed to have been excused all of the time, at school, work, or church but there was one time that the excuses didn’t save me.  I was a new mommy back then and felt like I was in way over my head with my life.  Why?  Wife, mother, almost full time employee and volunteer at church and family functions.  Time was very limited and I was tired all of the time.  I was given a warning and was only given one more opportunity.  If I were to come in late one more time I’d be fired.  It was rough hearing those words but it had to happen.  I didn’t do what I needed to in order to solve my tardiness problem.  They had no choice but to let me go.

            I know that these issues may not sound as bad as the many other “Extenuating Circumstances” that occur in the world every single day.  Some stand out more than others but there is something that ties them all together.  We all have the same reason to make up excuses, to make something sound less serious than it really is.  It’s pride.  Our pride, the fear of “losing face” can become too unbearable if we let it.  It’s the fear of us being “found out” or of someone else being “found out” that causes the pride to take over.  Instead of being honest and deal with the circumstances making up excuses seems to be better and sometimes even easier to do.

            As followers of Christ should we get involved with these “Extenuating Circumstances?”  Should we be doing what the dictionary defines extenuating as?  “Diminish the seriousness of: to make a mistake or wrongdoing seem less serious than it first appeared, e.g. by providing a mitigating excuse for it.” (Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.) 

             Ephesians 4:24-25, “take on an entirely new way of life—a God-fashioned life, a life renewed from the inside and working itself into your conduct as God accurately reproduces his character in you.  What this adds up to, then, is this: no more lies, no more pretense. Tell your neighbor the truth. In Christ’s body we’re all connected to each other, after all. When you lie to others, you end up lying to yourself.” (MSG)

            In the end no matter how much we try to make something “bad” not look so “bad” we need to remember that it’s the same as lying.  Just about anything can be justified but a sin is a sin no matter how many different ways we try to cover it up or make it look better.  Just because you can find justification doesn’t mean that you have turned the sin into something good or acceptable.  The circumstances, even if they are “extenuating” remain the same.  Once something is done it is done. 

My dear friends thank you for reading my devotional blog!  Know that I care about you and am praying for you.  It is so exciting to know that these devotionals that have been inspired by God are being read throughout the world!  If you have access to “Facebook” I have a ministry page!  The site can be found at www.Facebook.com/ReflectingTruthMinistries.  God bless you! 

*If you would like to read this same devotional in Spanish or know of someone that would please visit my Spanish blog at www.ministerioreflejandolaverdad.blogspot.com