The Duggar Family has been the talk of trending headlines for some time now. And while everyone seems to enjoy pointing a finger at the mistakes that have taken place, I believe our job as Christians is to encourage and extend a helping hand of grace to those who need it (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Here are 3 things we can learn from the Josh Duggar scandal…
1. Nobody is perfect.
It’s just like that cheesy Miley Cyrus song that says: “Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days.” It’s scary-true. And regardless if you believe it or not, there is no such thing as a perfect Christian. We will all fall short, screw up and do things we swore we’d never do (Romans 3:23).
Although our hearts yearning as Christ followers should be to abstain from sin, the desires of our flesh will sometimes overpower our will to resist it. We must rely on the strength of God to keep ourselves protected from the infiltration of fleshy desires. Our strength alone will not sustain.
2. Everyone needs accountability.
Accountability is key, no matter who you are or how big/little your platform is. None of us are holy enough to be without accountability in our lives. In fact, scripture encourage us to keep one another accountable in all that we do. There is software to help you stay away from pornographic material. There are plans you can put in place when traveling alone. There are guard rails you can set up to keep you from falling over the edge.
The second you think you don’t need accountability is probably the moment you need it the most.
3. Grace is available.
Nobody is too broken or screwed up for the grace of Jesus; not even Josh Duggar. All wrongdoings have consequences, but one of those consequences is not the absence of God’s unfathomable grace.
Josh’s actions are horrible, not right or justifiable, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t forgivable. The reality is, my sins are no better than Josh’s. Your sins are no better than Josh’s. Nobody’s sin is any better than Josh’s. Sin is sin, but forgiveness is available for all who seek and ask. There is no partiality in the eyes of God. To think any differently is to put religion before a relationship with Jesus.
We’re so reluctant to show grace to people who have royally screwed up, but fail to remember that Jesus showed grace to murderers and prostitutes.
We All Need Jesus.
I pray that Josh truly finds conviction for his actions, and I pray for the hearts of his wife and children. If any of us were perfect, we wouldn’t have the need for a savior. We’re all hypocrites in need of Jesus.
