Holiness does not
lie on the other side of temptation; it is to be found in the midst of
temptation. It does not sit waiting for us on a level above our weakness; it is
given us in weakness, or else we would elude the power of God that is operative
only in our weakness. . . It is only in our weakness that we are vulnerable to
his love and power. Accordingly, to continue in the situation of temptation and
weakness is the only way for us to connect with grace, the only way we can
become miracles of God’s mercy.
–Andre Louf
In my observation, it seems there are two categories of
people in church. There are those who believe themselves to be holy because
they feel themselves to be morally flawless, and there are those who believe
they will never be holy because they struggle with temptation.
Those who equate morality with holiness are generally
hard folks to be around. They see Christianity as a list of rules to be
followed. If you follow the rules, you are good; if you come up short, then you
are unacceptable. When one lives this way, they find it hard to have compassion
for others who don’t measure up to the standards they deem important. And it’s
not at all Christlike, for Jesus didn’t limit access to himself based on who
followed rules. On the contrary, he spent more time with those whom we might
judge to be morally deficient.
Morality, however, is not the measure of one’s holiness.
Holiness is not about being correct, saying the right words, doing the right
things, or following the right rules. Holiness is about knowing who we are—that
we are subject to temptation and that God is with us in the struggle, whether
or not we succumb to temptation. God’s grace comes to us when we are able to
accept that we are weak and in need of God’s grace. If we are so certain of our
moral purity, then we really don’t acknowledge a need for God’s grace.
Julian of Norwich is one of my favorite Christian
mystics. She offers us a gracious image of God, as both strong Father and
nurturing Mother. She even says that when we fall (succumb to temptation) it
gives God occasion to care for us, to show us mercy and forgiveness. It’s not
that we try to fall, for we don’t really have to try. It’s going to happen
because falling is simply part of our nature (and those who don’t think they
are falling are fooling only themselves).
When we can receive the gracious love and forgiveness of
God for our own falling, we actually are more closely connected to God than
when we feel ourselves morally correct. And those who know themselves as ones
who fall receive the strength and compassion of God for themselves, and are
likewise able to share God’s compassion with others who fall. A church full of
compassionate souls who fall is a beautiful expression of the body of Christ.
