A Rose By Any Other Name
The importance of a person or thing is the way it is; not because of what it is called. Names of things cannot affect what they actually are. Names are just labels to distinguish one thing from another. I can call a rose a daisy and it will not change the aroma or color of the rose. A name has no worth, nor gives true meanings. The rose’s worth is not in the name we call it. It’s worth is in its aroma, its brilliant colors, and the emotion it evokes.
The same is true with sin. We can call it whatever we like, but it is still sin. We like to give things fancy names to make us feel better about out sins. It isn’t porn, it is adult entertainment. It isn’t cheating, it is an emotional friendship. She isn’t a prostitute, she is an escort. I wasn’t drunk, I was just having a good time. I don’t over eat, I have a slow metabolism. It was a “white” lie. I didn’t mean anything by it. The names we give to our sins do not make them hurt us and others any less. They are still sins.
I can dress a pig up in a nice dress and makeup, but it will still wallow in the mud. That is what pigs do. We can dress up our sins however we choose and it will never change the damage that they do. Damage that sometimes can not be repaired on this earth. That is what sins do. They hurt us and separate us from the ones that love us most. Sins bring forth death. Death to our reputations. Death to relationships. Death to our very soul.
The rose doesn’t blame the gardener for its color or where it was planted. The rose simply is. It can not manipulate its circumstances. Sadly, we blame anyone and everyone for our sins. We somehow justify them because of our circumstances, others’ behaviors, or the environment in which we are “growing”. We also blame God, a lot.
Widely accepted sins are still sins. There are no big sins and small sins; just sins. A sin by any other name will still bring death. The thing about sin that amazes me most is that God knows my sin, but calls me by my name. He doesn’t call me liar, cheat, murderer, blasphemer, or any other sinful name. He calls me beloved, forgiven, adopted, accepted, and loved. He call me His child. He calls me Kitty.
If we look closer, the rose and a sin have a lot in common. Sin looks so beautiful from the outside. It is luring us with the sweetness of its smell and the vibrancy of its color. Let’s face it, sin can be fun, at least for a moment. Satan is not stupid in the way he disguises and dresses up sin. Look how he tempted and confused Eve in the garden of Eden.
When we look beyond the actual rose, we find the thorns. Thorns that hurt. Thorns that leave us scarred and bleeding. Sin does the same. When we remove the excitement, the allure, and the instant gratification; we are left scarred and spiritually bleeding. At times, the pain of sin is immediate. We feel the guilt, shame, and can see the damage immediately. Other times, the pain is delayed as we deceive ourselves into believing we are not hurting anyone or only hurting ourselves.
But other times, we pick the roses. We bring them into our homes so that we can enjoy them daily for weeks at a time. We love the smell and sight so much, we continue to bring them into our home. And when we least expect it, the thorn gets us. Sin is no different. We convince ourselves that no one got hurt the first time. Maybe because no one knew. We invite the sin in to our homes and lives. We enjoy it for a while and by the time the guilt and shame arrive, we are too ensnared in the thorn and vines. We are trapped. Satan has us right where he wants us.
Slowly, but surely, the sin and thorns become comfortable. We have allowed it to become our way of life. We hide in the darkness as to not expose our sin. If it is exposed, we try to hide the sin even more. We may even trim back the sin like a gardener trimming a rose bush, but it is still there.
Our sin becomes as obvious as a stalk of corn growing in a bean field. Until we take the axe to the root, that sin will continue to grow and do damage. We have to find a way to disentangle ourselves. We have to confess. We need to make amends where they are due. We need The Gardener’s help. We need conviction. We need forgiveness.
And while some may love the smell and look of a rose, for others they other bring tears. If your last or only memory of a rose was at your loved one’s funeral, roses take on a different meaning for you. And so it is with sin. Someone’s sin leaves you hating the words that they sinned with, the location of their sin, or the person they sinned with. Each time you hear the words that once brought a smile to your face, you die a little inside. Each time you revisit what once was a special place, it has lost its good feeling. Sin doesn’t just hurt once, it continues to hurt. Sometimes forgiveness takes a long time. Especially when there seems to be no remorse and an apology wasn’t offered.
God is the only one that can truly forgive AND forget. Our hearts never forget. Remember that the next time you find temptation knocking at your door. The rose is only sweet for a short time. The excitement of sin will never outweigh the heartache and destruction it causes. Sin by any other name is still sin.