Sinners Like Me

More than once I have been accused of having a big mouth. Several times the extremely short distance between my brain and my mouth has gotten me into trouble. As early as first grade my teacher wrote on my report card, “(Woody) must learn there are times to talk with his neighbors and times to not talk with them.” Referring to my singing she wrote, “He must learn that a loud voice is not necessarily a nice voice.”

For some reason, my daughters seem to find a great deal of humor in reading my report cards.

The mouth is mentioned four times in Paul’s Letter to the Romans. Taken together, these comments regarding the mouth of man provide a type of biography of anyone who is really saved.

The first mention of the mouth is found in Romans 3:14 where it says, “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” You might think this was making reference to the pagans in the time of Paul. However, it also includes the religious people and the moral people he wrote about in chapter two. In fact, without God in our lives, most men’s mouths speak from their pain, disappointment and anger. To prove this, all you have to do is turn on your television and listen to political commentary any evening of the week.

The second time this subject is raised is in Romans 3:19. “Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world may be held accountable to God.”

Left to himself man speaks with bold cursing against anything supernatural. However, when man is confronted by “God who is judge of man’s hearts and actions,” he is silent. There is nothing to be said in our defense when faced with the “God Who is There.”

Still, there is hope.

In Romans 10:9 we read, “Because if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

If the same man who was guilty of cursing God in Romans 3:14 recognizes Jesus as Lord, he will be saved. That is the promise that “big-mouthed sinners” like me have to hope for. We have already proven we can’t do it by ourselves. We need someone else.

Finally, we find man’s mouth actively praising and worshiping the Lord: “That with one accord and with one mouth you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 15:6, LITV)

It is interesting to see this passage is not found in the context of prosperity and eternal pleasure. Instead, the verses immediately preceding it speak about the strong ones helping the weak ones in hard times – about the need for encouragement and endurance in difficult situations. Together, even in the tough times, we can worship the God who was raised from the dead.

Someday when I find myself before the throne of the Lamb, I am going to open my mouth and sing with the loudest first grade voice I can still muster. I am not going to be concerned about what my report card says anymore. I will not be thinking about the opinion others have about my voice. I only want my risen Lord to know how thankful I am that He took the time to save loud-mouthed sinners like me.