Poopcorn People

What exactly is poopcorn? Well, if you’ve ever eaten corn you know what it looks like on its way out.  Yes, that is a disgusting picture.  But the point of it is that there are pieces of corn mixed in with excrement and fecal matter. 
So, knowing there is pieces of corn, would you clean out those pieces and eat them?  It’s still corn, so what’s the big deal? 
The big deal is that this is a gross thought.  Are you that desperate for food that you would consume pieces from that gross of a place?
I can see you are grossed out.  I was too.  At first.  And then I thought about it more.
I’ve heard it said that we should strive to be perfect.  We should try our hardest to be like Jesus.  We should empty our lives of the people and the things that are not good for us, even if it has the smallest amount of bad in it, we should still remove it from our lives. 
And I was thinking.. what would it look like to remove the “poopcorn” things from our lives? Well, we’d have to be more choosy about everything. No more songs, because what if those songs have pieces of bad in them? Ok, I see the point.. but then we’d have to apply that not just to “secular” music.. what if the Christian behind the song and lyrics has been stumbling? What if they were an addict and they gave in to temptation?? Well, that person has bad in them, so we’ll have to remove that music from our life.. okay, well I have yet to meet a perfect Christian, so I guess that means all Christians probably have something bad they are struggling with. Hmmm..
No more songs, no more games, no more books… And why stop there?? We need to remove the things that could possibly taint our lives!! If you actually did remove all the things, even with the smallest amount of bad in them.. well if we did just that what would happen?  It’s a nice thought.  Allowing only good things in our lives sounds right.  But there’s just one problem… its not possible.  Because this is a poopcorn world.
Now don’t get defensive.  It’s the truth, and even God knows it. This world is full of things that you could consider “poopcorn”.. even you are poopcorn.
Bad -even in tiny amounts-is everywhere and in every person.  We are all capable of bad things.  We’d have to determine whether that football player or baseball player we follow is always on their best behavior. And if you watched the news lately you’d see just how disappointing even the most inspirational athletes can be.  And then what about that restaurant we frequent with the nice owners?  Their food is amazing, and they are kind people.. but then one day you discover that they are hiding a gambling problem.. or they skip church every once in a while. Well.  Then I guess this means we’ll need to stop supporting their business! They are just going to think if they act that way that I’m ok with it if I go there.
NO ONE IS EXEMPT.  We are all imperfect.  We are all poopcorn.  And poopcorn people produce poopcorn things. But just so I’m clear:  calling out someone else’s “poopcorn” does not exempt you. 
How dare I say such a thing??? Well. I’m just saying what the bible already says.
“For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.” Romans 3:23nlt
I am imperfect, you are imperfect.  WE are imperfect.  We all have bad thoughts and bad desires.  We all make bad decisions and have bad, selfish intentions.  We all have bad things that give other people good reason to avoid us.  There is poopcorn in all our lives.  Its unrealistic to think we can weed it all out completely.
I see the purpose.  I see that we need to protect our hearts. 
But my problem with it is that it seems to put God in a box.  It’s almost like we are putting limits on God. 
I ask you to widen your mind for a minute and to look at the people of the bible that God spoke to or used.  Were they perfect?  In the New Testament did Jesus only allow those who had perfect lives?  Nope.  He sought after those who would today be considered “poopcorn people”.  They all had something in their lives that was bad.  Even if it were only a small amount.  And the kicker is that those people still remained “poopcorn people'” even after being healed or changed by Jesus! For example.. Peter.  Peter was changed by Jesus, but still was rebuked by Jesus (Mark 8:33).  I’m willing to bet Peter thought he was justified in his thoughts.  I bet he thought his heart for the situation was right.  But Peter was not considering Who He was speaking of or to. 
Jesus was not just the man in front of him.. He was and is also God, in human form.  And Jesus was speaking of plans that Peter could not have understood because of one fact that he was neglecting to remember…
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord. Isaiah 55:8nlt
We cannot underestimate God.  And we can’t assume to know His ways.  It may take someone from a “secular” situation or song with a “secular” life saying something that reaches someone who needs to hear it and it brings that soul back to God. 
And if you honestly think that God would never use that kind of thing, well then let me introduce you to someone who it reached…. Me.  I am a product of something “secular” leading me back to God.  And on a daily basis God reaches through “secular” things to reach me.  How can this be??
Well, God is not limited.  He is in all things at all times.  God is Omnipresent, Omnipotent, and Omniscient.   That means He is in all things, with all power, at all times.
He can draw us all from all things at all times.  There is nothing that is too far for God to reach into.  There is nothing that is too dark for Him to see in.  There is nothing hidden from Him, and nothing that separates us.
He’s reached into hell.  He goes as far as it takes.  He has no limits to His power and love.
It’s us that has the limits.  We build walls and put up boundaries.  But God?  Do you really think walls, boundaries and limits can stop God?
Nope.  God is going to accomplish what He sets out to accomplish, by any means He desire’s to use.  Just because it makes you uncomfortable doesn’t mean He has no purpose for it. 
I fully believe this for one simple reason… God is unfathomable.  If you ever think you completely understand God and His ways think again.
Yes, the bible gives us insight on His ways, but from what I’ve learned the bible is actually our story, not God’s.  The bible is how we came to be.. it’s God’s word for where we come from and where we are going to help us understand ourselves.  God’s start is not in there because He has no start.  He’s beyond anything we could ever imagine.
I warn you to not become so close-minded to think that God couldn’t use things just because it has pieces of bad in it, because that would mean He can’t use you.