There once was a little boy that received a bow and arrow set for his birthday. He excitedly ran outside to practice his shot on the side of an old barn that stood on the property. After he’d been at it a while, he ran back in to get his parents. “Mom! Dad! Come look!” he shouted.
They followed him out to the barn and were amazed at what they saw. Along the side of the barn, half a dozen targets had been drawn in chalk, each with an arrow lodged in the center.
Every single one had hit a perfect bullseye.
“That’s incredible! How did you manage to hit the bullseye every time?” his father asked.
“It was easy!” said the boy. “I shot the arrow first and then drew the target around it.”
You’ve got to admire his creativity.
Did you know, though, that the word “sin” is an archery term?
It means to miss the mark. It doesn’t matter if you miss by an inch or a mile – it’s a “sin.”
I’ve gotten really good at drawing circles around my sins. I’ve gotten good at justifying the miss by simply changing the target.
But the target isn’t mine to draw.
God has already done that.
And the target He has given me is Jesus.
If it’s not in obedience to Jesus, I’ve missed the mark. If it’s not in alignment with His heart and character, I’ve missed the mark. If it’s not how He would love and serve, I’ve missed the mark.
Instead of drawing our own targets, let’s spend a little more time improving our aim at the only target that matters.