Remember That We All Fall Short

[hldude33]

YouTube Video Devo
https://youtu.be/t3rOJ3YF0BM

"Remember That We All Fall Short"
Romans 3:23 NIV
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.

About a month ago, many of us watched the AFC Championship game between the Bengals and Chiefs.  When defensive end, Joseph Ossai, slammed into Patrick Mahomes on the sideline, causing a 15 yard penalty to give the Chiefs the opportunity for getting the field goal to win, I remember reacting to that play.  I remember saying to my wife about how I can't believe he would make such a play like that and cost the team the win.  It was a quick judgment that later I regretted making. 

As I read about the play and saw Joseph sitting on the bench at the end of the game, my heart sank.  I just watched him sitting with his head down and could just imagine the heartache he was feeling.  I wanted to take back the words I said to my wife and I was feeling really bad for the guy.  He was passionate about the game and got into the emotion of playing and didn't mean to do anything to cost his team the game.  He was playing his heart out and he felt terrible about the penalty.

I was quick to judge and make the comment about how you just don't do that and get a penalty to cost the game.  I quickly regretted it and felt for the guy, knowing he was feeling pretty bad about the decision he made. 

It really got me thinking about how I make decisions in my life so often that I quickly regret making.  I so often do things that I later regret.  It's so easy for me to see others doing things I think are so dumb, but then I often realize I've probably done the same dumb thing many times in my life. It's so easy to criticize others instead of realizing that I've done dumb things, too.

Friends, the next time we consider casting judgment on someone else for something bad they've done, take a moment to realize that we have all sinned and fall very short of the glory of God.  It's so easy to come down on others for how we see things they've done, while we are no better as we are sinners as well.  We definitely need to consider more coming alongside them and offering encouragement to let them know they are not alone.  We are all in this life together and need to encourage instead of discourage. 

We have all had our times where we hang our heads low because we are so ashamed of something dumb we have done.  I do this so often and I cringe when I think about something I've done that I am very regretful of and ashamed about.

Let us encourage one another and be thankful to God for His love even though we have sinned and fall very short of His glory.