Wait, I'm a sinner first.

Last night as Adam and I were laying in bed reading, he kind of started to smile at me and laugh. 

My mind when straight to "When is he going to get over how dorky my retainer is?"

But all I said was, "What's so funny, huh?"

And he said something to the effect of, "Look at us, we're in bed, reading our books, being so married. It just makes me smile."

I think, it's good to regularly look around and remember what you've got and allow it to make you giddy. 

But, this post is actually about something that Adam read to me last night from his book. He is reading through Gospel, which is a book that our pastor at Summit Church, JD Greear, just released in October. Not to be mistaken for THE GOSPEL. Which God wrote. Not my pastor. But, I highly recommend both.

He was reading the chapter titled "Gospel-Centered Relationships." And in it JD was describing an experience he and his wife had in their first year of marriage. It was so bad for them that first year they ended up in the office of a marriage counselor. And there was this word that he spoke to them that apparently really shook JD up when he heard it. And it kind of shook me up to when Adam read it:

"When you really believe the Gospel, you see that you are first a sinner, and only secondarily sinned against."

His point: Consider, like Paul did, yourself to be the chief of sinners. And reflect on all the grace that you've been given despite your tremendous capacity to: 

Be hurtful

Be prideful

Be selfish

Be greedy

Be impatient

Be disloyal

Be dishonest

Be envious

Be ungrateful

Be discontent....

And really just mess.things.up.

Not just in your interactions with a spouse or family member or close friend. But with everyone. Respond to others in light of the Grace you've been shown.

Toward the end of the chapter he said this:

"Ultimately I am responding to Jesus, not the person in front of me. The person wronging me may not deserve a response of grace, but Jesus, who bled and died for me does."

Amen people.

I'm definitely putting this one in my box of godly (marital) wisdom to pull out when I really need it. I hope you'll add it to yours too.

Happy Friday Friends!