It's always a good time for truth

"There are 6 things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes..." Proverbs 6:16-17a

"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverted mouth, I hate."  Proverbs 8:13

If being a Christian was a sport, I would have had the Olympic gold. In church from a young age, I had a genuine love for morality, as it was defined by my family and church. If loving God was the right thing to do, then I wanted to be right. I would love Him better than anyone!

I believe there was authentic love for God in my heart somewhere, but growing along side it, often overshadowing it, was my joy in doing well as a Christian. I assumed this joy was part of my love for God, but in reality it was the toxic weed of pride.

Many years ago, by God's unfathomable mercy and grace, He began to uproot this weed using many people, circumstances, and hardships. At first, I thought God hated me as He whacked at what I thought was good. But once the branches of this weed were removed, I could finally see the danger it was to my soul, to my love for God and my relationship with Him. I began to see my pride as He sees my pride: an abomination. 

God's hatred of pride grew arms and legs as I studied the Pharisees in the New Testament. They were the definition of self-righteousness. Why would they need Jesus when they were so good at being good? Their joy in doing well as Jews blinded them as it had blinded me. I was the Pharisee. Of all the people in the Bible, I related to the ones who orchestrated the death of my Jesus.

Finally, I began to grieve. I cried over what my pride said of me: I loved myself more than my God. I loved my good deeds more than His good deeds. I wanted to use Him to make much of myself. Genuine sadness flooded my heart for how I had sinned against the God I loved. 

And with the flood of sorrow came the rivers of revival! Oh the life and joy and freedom and delight that have resulted in my heart. My God has never been so precious to me, the work of Jesus so insanely delightful, the liberation so felt! Oh how happy my soul is in God, how fruitful the garden of my heart with the weed of pride removed.

All this came through harsh truths about pride being applied to my life. Embracing God's hatred of my arrogance liberated me and blessed me. Through it He saved me. "It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life." (1 Timothy 1:15-16)

Truth is always good. No matter how harsh it feels. Truth always liberates. No matter how restrictive it seems. And therefore, truth is always worth embracing, celebrating, and proclaiming. 

It is for this reason that I am delighted to sign the Nashville Statement and proclaim it with joy!  Because it is always a good time for truth.