Psalm 106:6 (NIV)

We have sinned, even as our ancestors did; we have done wrong and acted wickedly.

Who is the worst sinner you know? Who has the darkest past? Were they addicted to drugs? An alcoholic? A criminal? A prostitute? There are some pretty amazing testimonies out there where God delivered people from incredible darkness into the light of salvation and the resulting life change was nothing short of miraculous…but most likely, your story isn’t one of them. Sure, you have done plenty of bad things in the past, but nothing THAT over the top or crazy. It’s not like you are an axe murderer, right?

Psalm 106 goes through a laundry list of Israel’s sin, and it’s not a pretty picture. After God’s miraculous delivery of His people from the Egyptian armies at the Red Sea, “they soon forgot what he had done” (v. 13). In the desert they “gave in to their craving” and “put God to the test” (v.14). In the camp “they grew envious of Moses and of Aaron” and at Horeb “they made a calf and worshipped an idol cast from metal” (v. 19). From there, it only got worse. They “despised the pleasant land” and “did not believe his promise” (v. 24). They grumbled in their tents…yoked themselves to Baal…aroused the Lord’s anger…rebelled against the Spirit of God…did not destroy the peoples as the LORD had commanded…mingled with the nations…worshipped their idols…sacrificed their sons…and defiled themselves by what they did (v. 25-39). Isn’t it good to know that you aren’t as bad as they were?

And therein lies the trap.

It seems that the people who have been forgiven much tend to love Jesus much. They cry when they share their testimony and remain amazed that God would have shown them any interest or mercy at all, let alone take to a bloody cross on their behalf. In Luke 7:36-50 we find the story of the woman—a major sinner— who worked her way into the private dinner Jesus was having with some religious leaders, broke open a very expensive jar of oil, and proceeded to anoint his head and then clean his feet with her tears and hair. The Pharisees were scandalized. Didn’t Jesus know what kind of scumbag it was that he was allowing to touch him? Knowing what was in their heart, Jesus called them out:

“Two people owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he forgave the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt forgiven.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—as her great love has shown. But whoever has been forgiven little loves little.”   (Lk. 7:41-47)

Instead of comparing our laundry list of sin with the “worst” people we know of, we need to compare it to the perfect moral character of our eternally Holy and Perfect God. Instead of being like the Pharisee in the temple who prayed, “Thank you Lord that I’m not like those big sinners,” we need to take the posture of the tax collector who beat his chest and could not even look up to Heaven and simply cried, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner” (Lk. 18:9-13). Every single one of us have had our own Psalm 106 journey where we have “done wrong and acted wickedly.” You might look good next to the scumbag, but in the light of God’s holiness, YOU are the scumbag…and so am I. This reality isn’t meant to beat you down, but to lift up your praise and thankfulness! You and I have sinned much and been forgiven much, or like my friend and songwriter Matt Papa puts it in his amazing hymn:

What patience would wait as we constantly roam

What Father so tender is calling us home

He welcomes the weakest, the vilest, the poor

Our sins they are many, His mercy is more

Praise the Lord!

His mercy is more

Stronger than darkness

New every morn’

Our sins they are many, His mercy is more!