Abraham is remembered as a man of faith. And he was.
But he was not flawless.
That is important to keep in mind.
As I continue these popcorn devotions through the book of Genesis, I’m reminded that sometimes we read the stories of biblical characters as if they were stained-glass people. Beautiful, still, and almost untouchable. But Scripture does not present them that way.
Abraham lies about Sarah to protect himself. Twice. He allows fear to speak louder than courage. He listens to Sarah’s plan with Hagar, and the result brings pain into their household. He believes God, but he also stumbles his way through that belief.
That is not an excuse for his failures, but it is a reminder that faith is not the same as flawlessness.
Faithful people can still be afraid. Faithful people will at times make selfish choices. Faithful people can still create messes that others have to live with.
And yet, somehow, God keeps working.
That is humbling.
God does not build his story on perfect people. He builds his story through people who need grace more than they sometimes realize.
Abraham’s life does not teach me to minimize sin and my unwise decisions. It teaches me not to confuse failure with the end of faith.
God is patient.
He corrects. He redirects. He keeps speaking. He keeps calling people forward.
Faith is not proven by never falling.
Sometimes faith is shown by getting back up, listening again, and continuing to walk with the God who has not given up on us.