You often hear people say, “that’s just the way I am” after doing something unkind or inconsiderate. It’s a way to deflect blame, with dubious effectiveness, onto the offended party instead of the offensive person.

The Law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much pure gold;
Sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, Your servant is warned by them;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep Your servant back from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be innocent,
And I will be blameless of great wrongdoing.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:7-14

The way we achieve acceptable Worship to God is to embrace the Spiritual quality that we posses as part of our love of the Lord to desire God’s help and instruction in our lives. It is not enough to just like someone and wish to have them like you; we have to understand that our behavior is shaped around the one we want to impress, as is human nature.

Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, and like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow in respect to salvation, if you have tasted the kindness of the Lord. And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by people, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

1 Peter 2:1-5

“That’s just the way I am” is not sufficient for our relationships with people, so why should we expect that God would accept that attitude in worship?

Instead, part of our relationship with God is a hunger, a fierce desire for his Word! We who are Spiritual crave the correction, instruction and closeness with God that come from knowing who he is through the scriptures.

Because if we want to offer acceptable worship to God, we need less of ” the way I am” and more of the Way of the I AM.

Ethan Kirl