The Dross Keeps Burning Day After Day

Idolatry is more than bowing down to an idol, or glancing at a picture to pretend it is a god. Idolatry is a state of mind that places anything or anyone above God. It is also choosing to see something good when there is no good, those proverbial rose colored glasses have been the down fall of many relationships and prevents spiritual growth.

Deuteronomy 6:15 "for the LORD your God in the midst of you is a jealous God; otherwise the anger of the LORD your God will be kindled against you, and He will wipe you off the face of the earth."

There are those who would say they choose to see the good in people, rather than the bad. Are they so weak that they cannot love a person unless they can think of them as all good? The true test of love, is deeply caring for someone while knowing the bad as well as the good. We all have warts, we will until the day we die, if we cannot call things by their right names and still love anyway, then we must have an elevated view of ourselves, even a godlike view, after all everyone loves themselves, we are born that way.

Christ loved us while we were yet sinners, can we not love others with their imperfections and personality maladies?

We must be honest in all matters, while choosing to love God's way, speaking truth always, ready to share solutions to faults. We do no one a service, we do not love God's way, when we refuse to see the sin in our brothers and sisters. We do not love if we refuse to admit the sin in ourselves to grow in holiness. We must be able to see the whole person, not just what we want to believe about them.

The Christian life is not about showing the world how good we think we are, rather it is a walk of lessons, continual dross burning until the day we die. Pretending is not acceptable to God, only truth is.

3 John 1:4 "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth."

Proverbs 27:6 "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy."

Romans 15:14 "And concerning you, my brethren, I myself also am convinced that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able also to admonish one another."

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God."

Psalm 141:5 "Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me; It is oil upon the head; Do not let my head refuse it, For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds."

Luke 17:3 ""Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him."

1 Thessalonians 5:14 "We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness;"

1 Corinthians 4:14 "I do not write these things to shame you, but to admonish you as my beloved children."