2005-03-22 - A Privileged Life

Genesis 6:8. "But Noah found favor in the sight of the Lord."

{Nothing about Noah here, but a lot about finding favor in God's eyes}

I was stapling some things at the college where I work the other day, and the stapler broke. No big deal, but I could not figure out how to fix it. I told someone who works there that I had done in the stapler and could not figure out how to fix it. She said, "just give it to me, and I will take care of it." Well, I did, and it took about five seconds, and what I could not figure out in 15 minutes, she did that fast. I thanked her, and tried to show my appreciation for her knowledge by saying, "I'm just not mechanically inclined." She replied, "That's because you've always lived a privileged life."

This bugged me, because I work closely with her (probably more so than anyone I work with). We live just a few blocks from each other. I know her husband of 25 years (He was even in my last theology class -- and did well). But it bugged me to think that someone thought I had a privileged life, when I feel like I have worked hard all my life. There are more times in my life when I was working two or more jobs than not. I feel like I work hard. I am working three jobs now, but four has been an experience often. Thinking about it, I really felt unprivileged.

But then I reflected a little more. I am privileged. I had/have godly parents who raised me in the fear and admonition of the Lord. If you had that grace given you by the Lord, you know how privileged you were, and if you did not have godly parents and have come to Christ since then, you know how much that can mean. I am privileged just where God has placed me in this life. I don't deserve His favor. I am a sinner. I am so privileged. It is an honor to write these devotions. It is a blessing to have a computer. It is a blessing to teach and study theology. It is a blessing, based on my knowledge of how I have transgressed the law of God, to even have a roof over my head and be breathing. I am a sinner, and I know I deserve God's judgment. But that is the awesome thing. By turning to Christ in faith, I don't get His judgment, my conscience is clear, and I know forgiveness. In Christ, there is forgiveness, and that makes anyone privileged.

So, all right, call me privileged. I AM! I have experienced God's grace. You can try to give me a greater privilege, like having money or anything like that, but really, God's grace is all that matters. How big is your money belt? Who cares? Can you take it with you? Nope. Being privileged means being in God's favor, and that only comes through Jesus Christ. Really, knowing and experiencing the love of Christ is the only way to be privileged.

Soli Deo Gloria,
T-

tim@cfdevotionals.org
http://www.cfdevotionals.org
http://www.papercutpress.com