I first met Imogene, whose name I chose in honour of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, while returning to a school I once worked at. A large group of grade 1s had gathered around to say big hellos and once

We are saints, and even then we are sinners. Only through the gospel of grace can these two descriptions coexist.

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for God is at work in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure. Do all things without grumbling or questioning, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ I may be proud that I did not run in vain or labor in vain” (Phil. 2:12–16).

That inner grace you have has to be excercised. That nagging voice in your head is God tapping you on the shoulder and reminding you to do the right thing, lest you be blamed or guilty and with blemish. How? by holding fast to the word of life, by working in life to keep that temptation at bay, for God is at work in your will and work for His good pleasure.

If you do these things without grumbling or question, you will be lights in the world, but Saints? Not many of us, at least in my understanding of the term.

I think that the world is like a briar patch – by simply living in it, you collect stickers (slivers)by doing sin – you do have a sinful nature by birth. You’re working to repress that nature. You gotta take the time to remove the slivers, from time to time. And, of course you try to navigate around the really thorny patches. Fortunately, we have a map in the Bible.

Good thing I don’t have to be perfect from the word go, but I try to keep those tweezers handy.