Can … a leopard change its spots? Neither can you do good who are accustomed to doing evil” (Jeremiah 13:23).
A leopard can’t become a lion or a tiger. A sinner can’t stop being a
sinner. Sinners – that’s what we are. Sinners – that’s we always will
be. Looking at ourselves, looking at what we are – there’s no good news
in that. We look at ourselves, and we can feel quite pleased with
ourselves – if we don’t look too closely. The closer we look, the more
we become aware that we’re very far from being the kind of people we
should be.
Is it all bad news about ourselves? Yes! If we keep on looking at
ourselves and fail to look away from ourselves to the Lord. If, however,
we look at the Lord, we start to see ourselves differently. We see
ourselves in the light of His grace. A bright light shines on us. It’s
the light of His love. It’s the light of His salvation.
When we’re learning to look away from ourselves to the Lord, we begin
to realize that there is Good News. This Good News is God’s News. He
says to us, “I’ve got news for you. I love you – and My love is stronger
than your sin.”
Returning to Jeremiah’s illustration of the leopard and its spots, we
have to say that we still have our “spots” – but there’s something else
we can say: the Lord is working on them!
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