Not As Bad As. . .

Have you ever done something wrong and then to make yourself feel better, you rationalize it by saying, “at least I am not as bad as. . . .(you fill in the blank).” It is easy to do for most in some instances, as I am not as bad as the serial killer sitting on death row, or I am not as bad as the guy who abuses his family.


The problem may come when someone uses your name to fill in the blank. At least I am not as bad as Alan. How would you feel if you heard that? But in reality it is feasbible isn’t it? We can all think of someone who is better then us, or at least seems outwardly to be nicer, more polite and has more friends. Whether you believe it or not it has probably happened, or will happen at some point in your life.

I have been performing marriage counseling now for over 10 years, and I have counseled long enough to see that play out in reality. Friends, spouses and relatives will use each others names to fill in the blank. At least I am not as bad as the Joneses, or I am not as bad as my sister/brother. Someone will use your name to fill in the blank, because not one of us is good enough all the time, and many times none of the time.

Psalm 14:2-4 says, “The LORD looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God. All have turned away, all have become corrupt; there is no one who does good, not even one.” This is reiterated in Romans 3:11-13, as the Psalm is quoted again to demonstrate our true selves, that we are all bad at some level, which is being bad in general. How do I know, because as stated before, we can all think of someone who is just a little better then us, who is more “righteous.” How many have said, “I am no Mother Theresa,” or “I am no Ghandi?”

At one level this is a sad situation, or I guess it makes it some what a level playing field. If we are all bad then what hope do we have? Again, no matter what great work we think we do, there is again, another we can point to that seems better than ours. You helped give to the poor, and then find out your neighbor helped give to the poor and volunteered to feed the homeless at the local shelter. There is never the ultimate good work to make up for the bad because we can always think of one good work that is better. I fed 100 people, then feeding 101 would be better. It is humbling, because we cannot look at our good works as the “end all,” nor can we look at ourselves as the example of goodness.

This is why we need someone to set the standard and to be that ultimate, and the only way it can be ultimate is if it is God doing it, because if it is a human, we can always think of another thing to add onto it. God on the otherhand can be infinitely good and perform the infinite good work. Romans 3:25-26 tells us, “God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— he did it to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.”

If you want to find what true goodness is in this life and how to share in it, then you have to look at God and ultimately at Christ. Compare His deeds to anyone else alive or dead and the others will be found wanting.