Sanctification isn't this ladder that we ascend when we can do better, be better, climb higher.
No, sanctification is living life wide eyed in wonder. Like a small child at Christmas time absorbing the lights that illuminate only in the dark.
It's me offending, unintentionally, and then ignoring the open wound whole heatedly.
So what does the gospel say to actions like this, actions that happen seven years into this following Jesus journey?
Jesus shows me his scars and how they make room for me to acknowledge the way I scar. How his open grave give me room to open my heart to the humility, even when there is a deep chance I'll end up at the bottom of the argument.
Jesus shows me how he, the word, became flesh so my flesh can use words that embody him, especially in the hottest moments when I'm sure a body bag is about to be needed.
The gospel tells me sanctification isn't about a heart growing good-er but thoughts growing more God-er. So when my mouth is tempted to cut with sarcasm, or my heart tempted to pull out of the war zone for self protection. He reminds me that he already won so I can lose, he is somebody so I can fade into the shadows, he understands what it's like to be the misunderstood so I can be misunderstood too.
Yeah, some people try and buy into this idea that sanctification is the staircase to goodness. But Jesus reminds me sanctification is the steeple that pulls my eyes up when I sin.
