a better introduction

When you meet someone new,
how is it you introduce yourself?

Do you begin by shaking hands
and telling them your name?
Maybe where you work,
what you do for a living,
if you have kids...

The information you offer
may vary depending upon
your surroundings,
who you're with,
the purpose for introduction,
the time of day,
even the mood your in.

But as I have read my way
thought 1 & 2 Kings, I have noted
a pretty traditional introduction
of each of the kings in succession.

I've begun to skim each one,
because there's really only one thing
I'm wanting to know.

And to be honest, I've begun
to skip past the parts about
the age when they became king,
how long they reigned,
their mother's name,
who was king of the other nation...
blah, blah, blah.

Because what I'm looking for
is that one special sentence;
the one line that only varies
by a single word,
the one line that seems to sum up
their entire existence as king
no matter how it began or ended.
And it either says...
he did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.
or...
he did what was right in the sight of the Lord.

And it makes me wonder...
how God would introduce me;
which version of the sentence
would follow my name
had I be among the list?

But I'm grateful
that I don't need to ponder too long.
For not only am I certain
that I will not be named king... or queen
of any nation, at any time of my life.

And it also revives my gratitude that
we no longer live under
that difficult time of the law.

When people basically had to
do more right than wrong.
When every sin was measured and counted,
When sacrifices were real and literal.
The giving of animals at the temple,
the offering of grains,
the splattering of blood,
the constant procession
as human nature will never be without sin.

No more of that ritual.
No more of that religion.
For thankfully, Jesus was that offering,
that perfect Lamb given,
the shedding of His blood,
the only human who lived without sin.

And now, by grace I have been saved,
even though my introduction should be
This is Lisa,
she did what was evil in the sight of the Lord.

God now looks down from heaven
through the filter of Jesus blood.
And when He sees me, He says,
This is Lisa
she is good and right in the sight of the Lord.

And having chosen them,
He called them to come to Him.
And having called them,
He gave them right standing with Himself.
And having given them right standing,
He gave them His glory.
Romans 8:30

None of us will ever deserve 
the full right standing introduction.
But the grace of God is this free gift.

So as we receive it gratefully,
let us also share it freely with others.
Let us be more forgiving
of their faults, frailties and failures
and try to see them as those
who need this gift just as much as we do.

Maybe next time we introduce ourself,
we can introduce Him, as well.

Word of God,
train me, today...
to be ever thankful for the gracious way You see me in right standing each day,
to introduce others to this freedom I have found in You.