Some people think it’s their duty to haul around their… dooty.

I know folks like this.

Maybe you?  (Maybe me?)

Folks who carry their past sins in a pack on their back, as if it’s their lifelong burden to bear.

But have you looked inside lately?

Those sins are mushy and smelly and yucky.

Those sins wouldn’t even make good fertilizer!

All that worthless guilt, all that pointless shame, why do we haul it around?

Why let it weigh us down?

…

Believe it or not, God did not assign you this dooty duty.

You assigned it to yourself.

Yep.  You made yourself believe that such was your lot in life,

to carry every filthy mistake around as punishment

for being too human.

…

But now, hear some Good News:

Jesus is here to help you.

Willing to do the lowliest job imaginable.

Even willing to clean up your mess.

Not out of duty, but out of a sincere desire for you to move beyond your sins and into Life.

He takes your messiest sins and casts them away,

all so that you might know the freedom of Grace.

…

So put down that bag, friend.

It’s time to walk tall again.

Oh, there may be consequences to face, but not alone.

And there are lessons still to learn, but beautiful ones.

Lesson number one happens today:

Never forget–

God made you,

and God don’t make no dooty.

Have a great week, Mitch