As Christians, we want to believe the best about people. We seek to look beyond what they are now to what they may become once they get their lives in sync with the Lord. Yet we cannot ignore the sinfulness of man; we need to be realistic. C. S. Lewis provides us with a perspective we need to keep in mind in our dealings with everyone. I have two short quotes for you today, but they are related. Let’s begin with this one:
Never, never pin your whole faith on any human being: not if he is the best and wisest in the whole world. There are lots of nice things you can do with sand; but do not try building a house on it.
Even among genuine Christians, we often disappoint one another. The warning is to remember Who is your real cornerstone in life.
Then there is this reminder about the nature of sinfulness:
They [human beings] wanted, as we say, to “call their own souls their own.” But that means to live a lie, for our souls are not, in fact, our own. They wanted some corner in the universe of which they could say to God, “This is our business, not yours.” But there is no such corner.
He fills every corner; there’s no escaping His presence. But once you’ve laid aside your rebellion, that’s not a troubling statement; rather, it’s inspiring. As the apostle Paul once told his audience, “For in Him we live and move and exist.” Thank God.