Saturday, April 28, 2012

April 28, 2012

Luther the Witty


I have always admired Martin Luther, not because he was a diplomatic gentleman but specifically because he was not. This was a man unafraid and unashamed to say whatever he felt. The same man who created beautiful hymns and painstakingly translated Scripture into the German tongue also had a legendary, monumental wit. As a Lutheran I am constantly seeking early Protestant forebears and spiritual ancestors I can study, admire, and honor. Martin Luther provides a wealth of information and intrigue. 

If Luther was perfect, how could we as Lutherans ever feel as if we could live up to the man who put God before all else, who strove so earnestly to do the Lord’s will? No, the fact that he was far from perfect makes it much easier to like and admire him, because he was a person just like us. Imperfect but loved. Flawed but cherished. Prone to outbursts, scolding, and self-loathing but always a firm and unapologetic Christian who never turned back. He was sometimes rude, living up to the stereotypes that the rest of the world seemed to fasten on Germans of all classes. But he was first and foremost a believer. An innovator. A steadfast, faithful beacon for those seeking a new way. He did not merely teach the five solas of the Reformation, he lived them. Heartily and proudly.

He was not always a perfect, proper gentleman. That is why I love him!


(c) 2012 Joyously Saved

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