FAULTS
You must make allowance for each other's faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others. (NLT Colossians 3:13)

Software companies work hard at the creation of new applications for us to enjoy. The biggest at this time is Microsoft and many of us use Windows and Office just about every day; some all day long. New versions are in the making and should hit the retails stores soon. In an effort to remove all the faults, beta versions have been available as free downloads for months. These versions admittedly contain faults and it is the job of the beta tester to use the product and report the issues as they occur.

Even after the new software is released to the general public, faults will be discovered. As they surface, fixes will be created and downloaded to our machines. An old term for these faults in programming is the computer bug. Fixing bugs requires patches and as an application gets older the patches pile up until a new version of the software is released.

Encarta defines fault as a personal shortcoming, a failing, or character weakness. Although it may be difficult to admit it, we all come with faults. Some of our faults came as part of our DNA or our original programming; the result of generations past. Others faults are the result of choices made in our past. Our character is made up of the original programming plus the patches applied over the years.

When we gave our life over to Jesus, we became born again and a new version of the programming was downloaded to us. However, the old version is still trying to remain active. It is as if we have a dual boot system with two operating systems trying to be in control. When we boot our computer, we have the choice of which operating systems boots. In our lives, we choose which program to run—the old man or the new.

The old man still has faults. We sometimes do not even recognize the faults in our self. We like who we have become and expect others to be just like us. Their faults bug us. Why do they have to be like that? But, it is okay for others to have faults. The Lord forgave us our sins, our faults, and we need to make allowance for others.

Which programming are you allowing to boot today?