"Think About What You Did!" (forever)

Leviticus 5:4-6 " 'Or if a person thoughtlessly takes an oath to do anything, whether good or evil—in any matter one might carelessly swear about—even though he is unaware of it, in any case when he learns of it he will be guilty. " 'When anyone is guilty in any of these ways, he must confess in what way he has sinned and, as a penalty for the sin he has committed, he must bring to the LORD a female lamb or goat from the flock as a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.
I called a business the other day and when I got the voice mail of the individual I needed to speak with, his out-going message said this at the end, "If in any way you are not satisfied with my service, please call my supervisor at ___________."
Wow.
I cannot imagine putting that message on my office phone. I don't particularly want you calling my supervisor if you are not satisfied with my service. Mainly because I don't always give the best service. What a commitment to tell someone to go ahead and report me if you think I didn't do a good job. Sheesh. I am embarrassed to admit that this kind of commitment would change some of my behavior. I didn't even realize this was true until I heard that message.
Putting that kind of statement out there means that I am going to do my best but if I don't, I'll own up to it. My goal is for the other person to be taken care of and not to protect my own convenience. I'll take the hit if I fail. I won't try to hide it.
It made me think of Adam and Eve and their fig leaves. I wonder how much of the time God sees me wearing a fig leaf. If so, I hope it's a largish one.
It also made me realize that it's not about perfection and it's not about shame. It's about truly getting up in the morning wanting and trying to do right. And then when you fall short skipping over the shame part and just moving on to making it right if you didn't do it right. Being willing to own my actions.
So why wouldn't I do this? I guess because people have taught me that if I take that approach, I might not get applause for it. I might get yelled at. Rejected. Mocked, talked about. People have taught me that to err is human and to admit it is stupid.
I have learned that when I mess up, it all ends with either getting away with it or getting punished. Being an excellent pupil, I have taken great pains to pass the message on.
That's not God, that's people. God adds another step, just make it right. Do what you can to acknowledge it and move on. Yes, you won't be able to fix everything so you'll need Christ to do that for you.
Admit it. Apologize. Do what you can to make it right. Let Christ do the rest. Accept his sacrifice in place of the price you can't pay anyway and move on. MOVE ON.
It isn't a Vengeful God that makes us afraid. It's a vengeful humanity. We teach each other that it's safer not to be accountable. Stay under the radar. Oh, and in the process be crushed on the inside.
I wish I was brave enough to tell you to report me if I did something wrong. But I'm still seeing too much of man in my vision of God. I'm still afraid that it will end with punishment and loss.
No, I can't make it right. I can only do my best. But if I believe in a big enough God; that's not a problem.
The tiny little god we present that doesn't let you move on is the one who scares us.
The tiny little god that we have appointed ourselves to be.
No wonder we are so afraid.