What Is The Question?

The other day a former coworker posted a video that made me giggle. It showed two little sisters attempting to dance the Macarena. When one got a little sidetracked in her dancing, the mom corrected her daughter to which she responded, "Really, Mom? You need Jesus." Another friend commented on the post: "That is always the right answer!" It made me think back to when I would do candy trivia with my Sunday School kids. When one of them didn't know the answer to the trivia question, they would inevitably say, "God? or "Jesus?" as their answer. I always made me chuckle, especially when used over and over again.

Yes, we do need Jesus, and yes, Jesus is the answer. But then you have to ask, what is the question? And why do we need Jesus?

So here's what I think the question and answer to the above in one sentence is: What will save me from myself? That's the question that Jesus is the answer to and why we need Him.

You will not be able to lead a sin-free life. You know, Benjamin Franklin actually tried this. He was in his 20s and decided he would live a life of moral perfection. Yes, of course, he failed. He wrote this in his autobiography:

"I wish’d to live without committing any fault at any time; I would conquer all that either natural inclination, custom, or company might lead me into. As I knew, or thought I knew, what was right and wrong, I did not see why I might not always do the one and avoid the other. But I soon found I had undertaken a task of more difficulty than I had imagined. While my care was employ’d in guarding against one fault, I was often surprised by another; habit took the advantage of inattention; inclination was sometimes too strong for reason. I concluded, at length, that the mere speculative conviction that it was our interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our slipping."

It was his intention to do this from a non-religious standpoint. He wanted to write a book on "The Art of Virtue" to hopefully show that it was achievable and to even create a a sect of folks who would adhere to 13 virtues (the last of which was humility and was described thusly: "Imitate Jesus and Socrates" - I find it comical that Socrates was put on the same level as Christ). Franklin soon learned he didn't have the time nor fortitude to complete his project, but he did strive to reach the goals throughout his lifetime and said it made a difference in his manner. But he couldn't live the moral life. He couldn't live sin-free. Christ is the only one who has ever done so.

I am impressed by Franklin's undertaking. And, frankly, we should all be striving every single day to live the moral life. Striving to be sin-free. But we need to know: 1) we are incapable of sinning, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23); and 2) that there is an answer. The same we said above: Jesus Christ. "But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8) and "because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9).

My precious children, I pray you will work every day at living a life in imitation of Christ ... toward one another and toward everyone else in this world. Know that you will fail, and do so repeatedly. But Jesus is the answer. And you do need Him ... every single day.

Discussion: Try going one day without sinning. How successful were you? What proved to be your undoing? How is Jesus the answer for you?

Prayer: Father, we do need You. We need Your Holy Spirit. We need Your Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ. We pray we continue every day to work at being more like you. Help us not be discouraged. Thank you for Jesus. In His name we pray, Amen.