The following are actual statements found on insurance forms where drivers attempted to summarize the details of an accident in the fewest words possible:
Of all the lame excuses given in the history of excuse-giving, Aaron’s explanation of the golden calf is right at the top of the list. I can see Aaron standing red-faced in front of the golden calf he desperately wished would just disappear. There stands Moses the man of God with arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently waiting for an answer. He isn’t in a good mood as demonstrated by the smashing of the two stone tablets upon sight of the golden calf.
Frantically searching for something half-way intelligent to say, Aaron offered up this excuse, “They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us, for something has happened to this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt.’ Well, I told them, ‘Bring me your gold earrings.’ So they brought them to me and I threw them into the fire, and…well…this calf came out!” (Exodus 32:23-24)
We live in a society that would rather make an excuse than take personal responsibility. But excuses don’t get you very far in the court of heaven. Confession does. Rather than making excuses for sins and spiritual shortcomings, confess them. Confession, not excuses, opens the door to mercy.
Pastor Todd Weston
- Coming home, I drove into the wrong house and collided with a tree I don’t have.
- A pedestrian hit me and went under my car.
- The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.
- I pulled away from the side of the road, glanced at my mother-in-law and drove over the embankment.
- I had been driving for 40 years when I fell asleep at the wheel and had an accident.
- An invisible car came out of nowhere, struck my car and vanished.
- The other car collided with mine without giving warning of its intentions.
Of all the lame excuses given in the history of excuse-giving, Aaron’s explanation of the golden calf is right at the top of the list. I can see Aaron standing red-faced in front of the golden calf he desperately wished would just disappear. There stands Moses the man of God with arms crossed, tapping his foot impatiently waiting for an answer. He isn’t in a good mood as demonstrated by the smashing of the two stone tablets upon sight of the golden calf.
Frantically searching for something half-way intelligent to say, Aaron offered up this excuse, “They said to me, ‘Make us a god to lead us, for something has happened to this fellow Moses who led us out of Egypt.’ Well, I told them, ‘Bring me your gold earrings.’ So they brought them to me and I threw them into the fire, and…well…this calf came out!” (Exodus 32:23-24)
We live in a society that would rather make an excuse than take personal responsibility. But excuses don’t get you very far in the court of heaven. Confession does. Rather than making excuses for sins and spiritual shortcomings, confess them. Confession, not excuses, opens the door to mercy.
Pastor Todd Weston
