Not a Dime’s Difference

While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.(Romans 2:21-23)

Scott Sauls, pastor at Redeemer, told a story the other week that’s stuck with me.

A couple in a church lived together out of wedlock, and slept around on each other. They called their pastor and said, “We’d like to come in for some relationship counseling.”

The pastor prepared his speech. He was ready to read them the riot act about their immoral behavior. He was going to tell them how they are using one another without committing to each other, how they’re impure because they’re sleeping around. No wonder they had relationship problems.

They came in. The woman was dressed in a miniskirt, and sat down right in front of him. As soon as the couple looked away, the pastor’s eyes began to wander.

The pastor said later, “It was at that moment that I realized that there is not a dime’s difference between me and them.”

The more we get to know ourselves, the harder it is to look down on others. There’s not as much difference as we’d like to think. We need grace.