Have you ever seen the bumper sticker “Christians aren’t perfect – just forgiven”?  We have to be careful with this, but it’s a true statement.  We are not perfect, and we all have ‘feet of clay’.  If you’re not familiar with that term, I’ll show you what it means:

FEET OF CLAY – “The phrase comes from the Old Testament (Dan.2:31-32). There the Hebrew captain Daniel interprets a dream for Nebuchadnezzar, founder of the new Babylonian Empire.

Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed of a giant statue with a golden head, silver arms and chest, brass thighs and body, and iron legs.  Only the feet of this image, compounded of iron and potter’s clay, were not made entirely of metal.  Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar that the clay feet of the figure made it vulnerable, and that it meant the breaking apart of his empire.

Over the years, readers of the Bible were struck with the phrase ‘feet of clay’ in the story and it was used centuries ago to describe an unexpected flaw or vulnerable point in the character of a hero or any admired person. (From the “Encyclopedia of Word and Phrase Origins”)

Perfect superheroes in Christianity are very rare.  In fact, some of the most anointed and chosen of God were (and are) afflicted with ‘feet of clay’.  Think of Peter and David and even poor Martha.  They were all imperfect – but forgiven.

We would like to imagine ourselves walking around with halos, but none of us do.   Every single one of us has a vulnerability point in our Christian walk.  Though we have the assurance that we can be forgiven, the flesh wars against the spirit at times in our lives and we need mercy and grace!

Have you ever needed mercy and grace?  I have and you have too!

James 2:13 says “There will be no mercy for those who have not shown mercy to others. But if you have been merciful, God will be merciful when he judges you.”

We are all in need of great grace and mercy.  God help us to extend it to others – especially those with ‘feet of clay’.