Only Human?
A year or so ago, I had a student in my office. He was there because his behavior was much less than what I expected of a Bible college student. After discussing the matter, he crowned his long recitation with the excuse, "After all, I'm only human." When he said that, I jumped to my feet, raised my voice about 16 decibels, and fairly shouted, "Only human! Do you realize what you have just said?" He moved back into his chair and his eyes were wide in surprise. I didn't wait for an answer.
"Only human! You mean in the image of God, made a little lower than the angels, and in Christ, given the power to become greater than the angels, only human! You have been given dominion over the earth and every living creature on the face of the earth. The greatest of all God's creatures. The only creature able to think the thoughts of God. The object of His love and the one for whose salvation He sent Jesus to Calvary. What do you mean, 'only human'?"
Silence reigned heavily in the room. For a long moment he stared at me in bewilderment and I attempted to look through his eyes into his soul. I was hoping that my words had driven home an important truth. Soon he began to move uneasily in his chair and said, "I guess I have been less than what He wants me to be. I'm sorry, I will do better." I nodded my head and he walked out.
To use being human as an excuse for our thoughtless and stupid behavior is an insult to the God who made us.
