5 This is the message that we have heard from him and announce to you: “God is light and there is no darkness in him at all.” 6 If we claim, “We have fellowship with him,” and live in the darkness, we are lying and do not act truthfully.7 But if we live in the light in the same way as he is in the light, we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from every sin. 8 If we claim, “We don’t have any sin,” we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 9 But if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from everything we’ve done wrong.10 If we claim, “We have never sinned,” we make him a liar and his word is not in us.
Reflection
I am a firm believer in acknowledging my mistakes and imperfections. I did it as a teacher for my students, and even now as a mom, I acknowledge my missteps to my daughters. They likely won’t remember the mistakes I’ve made, BUT hopefully they’ll remember my apology. If I demonstrate the pattern of making a mistake, learning from it, and then trying to be better the next time, my hope is that they will practice it too. I want them to feel safe admitting to mistakes so they can learn to do or be better next time. I need them to know they are loved unconditionally even with the mistakes and imperfections they have that make them wonderfully human.
I have lived a very blessed life and I’ve had a support network to help me when things have not gone according to plan. It’s easy for me to live my life openly and honestly because there is very little in my life for stigma to attach to. There are so many who are not so fortunate and that’s who I think 1 John 1:5-10 is speaking for.
Our society has told people they’re not allowed to bask in the sunshine if they make a mistake or if they are different, but that’s not what God wants. God attaches no stigmas to the imperfections in our humanity. God wants everyone to feel safe admitting to sin so everyone can feel the warmth of unconditional love as they bask in glorious light. All people have to do is be honest about their humanity. It is our task as a community to make the lighted space feel welcoming. We want our neighbors to feel safe admitting to mistakes so they can learn to love God wholeheartedly. We need our neighbor to know they are loved unconditionally even with the mistakes and imperfections that make all of us so wonderfully human.
by Ashley Bowler
For Pondering and Prayer
How have you worked to create a safe space for your neighbor to be honest about their humanity?
In what ways do you demonstrate to yourself and God, your loved ones, or the world that you are living truthfully?
Prayer: Dear God, you created us with imperfections. Our foibles are no surprise to you, and yet some people think they need to lie about their mistakes to get into your good graces. Help us to create a space that allows us to demonstrate your forgiveness. Help us to show our neighbors you love them unconditionally and they are welcome to join us in the light just as they are. Amen.
