Classifying Sins: Pets or Monsters?

We humans can be very inconsistent creatures. We like to think that we have things all figured out and are always reasonable……but we most certainly don’t and aren’t. I was thinking about this while making lunch today. What brought it to mind was thinking about how we inadvertently and perhaps unconsciously classify and think about sin/sins. Everybody has at least two classes into which they group types of faults: pets and monsters. {In this post, I use “we” because I think everyone does this. But each of us as individuals has our own pets and monsters.}

Pet sins are those ones that I might admit I do but that I make excuses for or try to explain away. They’re like my pet bird Bluebonnet. As I was trying to type the first part of this post, he was running around on the keyboard, playing with my fingers and wanting me to pay attention to him and give him kisses. Sometimes our pets can be so very annoying! Sometimes we may even despise them. But other times we love them and anything they do seems cute.

Now to the monsters. This group is for those sins we always recognize as horrible—the things that we would never never do, try to avoid at all costs, and are always quick to judge others for doing. Things like (in my upbringing) getting drunk, gambling, murder, adultery, etc. We view this class of sins as horrible villains, like Voldemort in the Harry Potter series, Sauron in the Lord of the Rings, or any other classic nemesis—things that are clearly evil, non-negotiable and unacceptable.

This system can be very comfortable for us. It can make us feel good and self-righteous. There’s just one small problem with it: God doesn’t see sin that way. He doesn’t acknowledge or identify with our classification scheme. To God, ALL sins are EQUALLY reprehensible and disgusting.

I can be standing where I am critically judging a fellow brother or sister in Christ because they choose to buy a lottery ticket, drink or go clubbing. At that moment, what I am failing to recognize is that I have equally atrocious sins which I have grown to accept in my own life – be it gluttony, gossiping or harbored anger. Each of us has villainous sins in our life—horrible addictions which we have come to see as cute little pets. What’s even worse is when I despise others for the very things I am myself guilty of doing.

Hmm….this concept reminds me of a Bible verse! In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said: “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye” Matthew 7:1-5, NIV (emphasis mine).

There’s also this: Some things like gambling are not mentioned or directly prohibited in the Bible. So on what basis have “good Christians” made these activities such a marker for judging others???? Gambling may be unwise and a poor use of the money which God has given me to be a steward of, but so is spending all my money on food or entertainment. Although we see it as such a “bad” thing to do, it’s not listed in the Ten Commandments. But honoring my parents is, and so is coveting. Have I ever dishonored my parents? Definitely. Have I ever been envious of what others have? You betcha I have. If I can’t even fulfill the ten most basic rules God gave men to govern their lives, what business have I to criticize others so strongly for their faults?

This has been a convicting post for me to write. I don’t always choose to remember how serious my sins and faults are. I much prefer keeping my pets. But when I take a step back and remember how God sees my sin—just as evil as the monsters I judge others for—it makes me feel quite ashamed of myself. But at the same time it makes me feel very grateful for Christ’s love and sacrifice for me.

Lord, teach me to recognize the evilness of my own sins. Remind me that I am no better of a person than anyone else. Through Your power, may I choose to say no to my entangling snares and also show others the same grace and mercy which I have received.