Too Narrow to Hide

We humans have a disposition to hide behind the failings and shortcomings of another.

That is, we try to.

It really is a dumb effort.

But we’re still prone to try it.

Somehow, we seem to think another’s flaw provides us with the flawless excuse.

Another’s gossip and evil surmisings are too narrow to hide my vengeful thoughts or fight-fire-with-fire speech.

Someone’s hypocrisy is too narrow to hide my apostasy.

Another’s wrong is too narrow to hide my unforgiveness. In fact, my own hurt at another’s misdeed is too narrow to hide my unforgiving spirit.

The preacher who preaches forgiveness but practices something else is too narrow to hide my bitterness at his unwillingness to accept my apology.

That Christian’s inconsistencies are too narrow to hide my disobedience.

Another’s injustice is too narrow to hide my own whatever-it-is-I-am-trying-to-hide.

My self-righteousness and self-justification are too narrow to hide my sin and imperfections.

My good deeds and noble character and moral life are all too narrow to hide my failures to match God’s holiness.

My accomplishments and sacrifices are too narrow to hide my pride or my lack of love.

Did I miss what you’re trying to hide behind right now?

No doubt, it also is too narrow to hide behind.

No good I do or am will ever be anything other than too narrow to hide my faults.

The hugest, most-awful offense against me will always be too narrow to hide my own sin, no matter how “teeny” it seems to me.

In fact, if you make the biggest shield of all time using all the hypocrites of all time, it will still be too narrow to hide behind.

It just can’t be done!

None of these shields work.

Not in this life.

Not when we face the Judge at the end of life.

So let’s not try.

Better to go to Jesus in humble repentance, seeking His favor and forgiveness and cleansing.

Then we won’t need to try the impossible: Hide from God or find fool-proof excuses to use on God.

Excuses are fool-proof only in this sense: they prove our foolishness.