When I say..."I am a Christian"

I'm going to a Bible study on Thursday nights, and last night one of the ladies was commenting on how when you claim to be a Christian, sometimes people are watching you and waiting for you to mess up, just so they can call you out and say "Look! SEE! You're not a REAL Christian!" But if those people could only understand that being a Christian doesn't mean being perfect! There is a poem that I think does a really good job of explaining it. I think it was written by Maya Angelou.* You may have seen it before, but I thought it was worth sharing again:

When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not shouting “I’m clean livin’”
I’m whispering “I was lost
Now I’m found and forgiven.”

When I say “I am a Christian”
I don’t speak of this with pride.
I’m confessing that I stumble,
And need Christ to be my guide.

When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be strong.
I’m professing that I’m weak,
And need HIS strength to carry on.

When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not bragging of success.
I’m admitting I have failed,
And need God to clean my mess.

When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not claiming to be perfect.
My flaws are far too visible,
But God believes I am worth it.

When I say “I am a Christian”
I still feel the sting of pain.
I have my share of heartaches,
So I call upon His name.

When I say “I am a Christian”
I’m not holier than thou.
I’m just a simple sinner,
Who received God’s good grace, somehow.

"For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." ~Romans 3:23

"This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am cheif." ~I Timothy 1:15

*Correction: This poem was actually written by Carol Wimmer. I recieved an email stating it was by Maya Angelou, but this was incorrect. Check out http://www.carolwimmer.com/.