Are You Deviating From Your Destiny?
A New Way Of Seeing An Often Misunderstood Concept

Almost every religion believes in what is traditionally referred to as sin.
The Hindus call it papam.
The Muslims call it khati’ah.
The Buddhists have several names for it. As do Taoists and Scientologists and many others.
For most of us here in the West, we associate sin with fire and brimstone and pitch-fork totting devils and guilt and shame and hell and confessions.
We see it as something that happens when we lie or steal or cheat or watch trashy movies or violate some law or become addicted to something we know isn’t good for us.
Most of us would define sin as things we do that religion says are a “no-no”(I wagged my finger from side to side after I typed that). Things that drive a wedge between us and God. Things that, if left unchecked, could lead us to a not so nice place where fire burns infinitely and teeth gnash and souls suffer and, well you know the rest.
But this definition fails to capture the whole truth behind this highly misunderstood three letter word.
I mean, is that all sin is?
The direct defiance of us measly humans towards an angry, lightning bolt-throwing, list-taking God?
I don’t think so.
In fact, for the ancient Hebrews, arguably the originators of the term, their definition of sin has more to do with our own human journey than it does with disobeying God.
The word they use for sin is called chatta’ath which literally means —
to miss the way, to miss the goal, to miss the mark as an archer would miss the bulls-eyes.
So to these desert nomads, sin was anything that caused them to stray from the path that led them to their target.
It was them missing the mark.
A deviation from their destiny.
Now, doesn’t that sound a little less cringe-worthy than the sin we were taught growing up?
The Hebraic definition opens us up to a Creator that is less interested in judgement and punishment and following rules and marking off divine checkboxes, and more interested in you and I staying on course to reveal who He made us to be — landing on our spiritual, emotional, and relational bulls-eyes if you will.
I’ve realized that when we keep our heart and mind and soul fixed in Love and grace and compassion and tickle fights with the kids and dinner with the people you love the most and music that elevates us to higher places, you’ll leave no room for sin (the deviation from our destiny) to creep in.
And it’s in those things and others like them where we experience the Spirit of life.

