Jesus Friend of Sinners {Casting Crowns}

One of my favorite songs right now and probably will go into my "hall of fame" of songs is Jesus Friend of Sinners by Casting Crowns.

That song gets me every.single.time.

Jesus Friend of sinners we have strayed so far away
We cut down people in your name but the sword was never ours to
swing
Jesus friend of sinners the truth's become so hard to see
The world is on their way to You but they're tripping over me
Always looking around but never looking up I'm so double minded
A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and a heart divided

Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours

Yeah,yeah,yeah

Jesus friend of sinners the one who's writing in the sand
Make the righteous turn away and the stones fall from their hands
Help us to remember we are all the least of thieves
Let the memory of Your mercy bring your people to their knees

Nobody knows what we're for only what we're against when we
judge the wounded
What if we put down our signs crossed over the lines and love like
You did
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast
For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came
Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast
But you died for sinners just like me a grateful leper at Your feet

'Cause You are good, You are good And Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
You are good, You are good and Your love endures forever
Oh Jesus friend of sinners
Open our eyes to the world at the end of our pointing fingers
Let our hearts be led by mercy
Help us reach with open hearts and open doors
Oh Jesus friend of sinners break our hearts for what breaks Yours

And I was the lost cause and I was the outcast
Yeah(hold note)
You died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet

I could have highlighted every word, because every word is so poignant to me.

Often I read other blogs and they are full of this amazing, eloquently put thoughts on Jesus and faith. I wish I could do that. Not because I want to look or sound so noble, with all the answers (not that I think that is their goal either), but because in my head I hear these really great words from Jesus and I just want to share them with others, but every time I put pen to paper fingers to keyboard. It comes out all wrong.

So today I will put away the fancy words and just type what I know.

What I know is I am a sinner just like this song says. 
I know I need Jesus to be my friend just to get me through each and every day.
I know that I grew up knowing how to act, walk, and even smell like a Christian, but I am not entirely convinced I was one. Or at least the kind of person Jesus asked me to be.
I know that I really want to look like Jesus instead. 
I want to extend mercy and grace when really all I want to do is rip your head off for hurting my feelings or cutting me off in traffic.
I want to show love to others even though they don't show it to me.
I want to offer up forgiveness to people easily even when it is the last thing I want to do, I would rather hold onto that hurt.
I just want to put down my sword and cross over the line and be the hands and feet of Jesus to the people that need him most. The people that sometimes we as Christians snub our nose at because their lifestyles aren't just so, or maybe they did something sinful. (Don't we all really?!)
I pray every day that no one trips over me and my piety on their way to Jesus. 

Yesterday I got into a dumb facebook debate with some people. I should have just kept my mouth shut. I regret more than anything is that I hope I wasn't a stumbling block for someone because my intentions and words were misconstrued. Ugh! I have great passion for things but often it gets mis-directed.

So all day anytime I would think about the situation I would just sing this song to myself. Reminding myself that I want people to know what I am FOR and not what I am against.
I am for leading people TO Jesus and not away from Him.         


There are many wonderful things about Jesus and why I love Him and choose to follow Him. But the thing I love most is love and mercy for me, the sinner. That's it. Everything else for me is just icing.

I don't have all the answers and I don't even get it right most of the time, but my prayer is that every one I know and love finds that same love in Jesus.