“Have you ever noticed that everyone else’s poop smells way worse than your own?”
This was literally the first thing my 4th grade son told me, as he got into my car last week after school.
Let me start by admitting that poop seems to be a pseudo-normal conversation in our house…he is a boy and for some reason the “y” chromosomes of my house are obsessed with poop and farts. But I will admit that his observation about everyone else’s poop smells had me giggling (and wondering what happened at school for him to make this observation!!!!).
Later when reflecting on his comment, I got to thinking that often I think of sin the same way my son was thinking about poop.
Everyone else’s sin is way worse than my own.
The much beloved Reverend Billy Graham wrote, “From a human standpoint some sins are certainly worse than others; sins like murder, assault, or stealing. These things deeply hurt others. But the Bible doesn’t tell us which sin is worst in God’s eyes, and the reason is because God hates all sin. God is absolutely pure and holy; even the smallest sin is evil in His sight.”
If both the Bible and Billy Graham agree that sins are not “ranked” and one is not worse than another, when did I start thinking someone else’s sin was more egregious than my own?
I believe that the enemy has a method of whispering in my ear. In my humanness, I listen. Satan convinces me that the differences between right or wrong aren’t as defined as the Bible tells us. It’s his classic move. He started using it in the Garden of Eden with Eve. So of course, he’s using the same tactics on me.
I have to acknowledge that my sin is my sin. No matter how big or small it may be (or how I may perceive it), ANY sin in my life breaks God’s heart. Romans 3:12 (NASB) reminds us that there is not one of us who will get through this life without committing sin; “They have all turned aside, together they have become corrupt; There is no one who does good, There is not even one.”
His judgements stand firm. We must repent, turn from our sin, ask for forgiveness and move forward. We (I’m specifically talking to myself here) need to fully understand that not one single sin is greater or lesser than another. They are all an affront to God.
While someone else’s poop may smell worse than yours, their sin is not worse than yours.
~Emily
Iron Porch 