Lake Wobegon

Scripture Reading: Romans 2:1

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another, you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

I have this belief; one you can justifiably consider false. I believe that if everyone drove the way I do, the roads would be much safer, and I would certainly be happier behind the wheel. I read that 80% of people consider themselves to be above average when it comes to their driving skills. Since statistically only 49% of drivers can be above average, a lot of people overestimate their driving skills. Maybe I’m one of them.

This way of thinking, whether it is about driving or some other life skill or personal characteristic, is called “The Lake Wobegon Effect.” Lake Wobegon was the fictional Minnesota town that was the setting for the radio variety show “The Prairie Home Companion.” In Lake Wobegon “all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

When Paul wrote Romans chapter one, it seems he anticipated The Lake Wobegon Effect taking hold of some of his readers' hearts. There would be people who would read his description of human depravity and assume that he is talking about “those other people.”

Therefore, Paul starts chapter two like Paul Washer when he said, “I don’t know what you are laughing about. I’m talking about you!” “You have no excuses…” You can see the problem in other people. But the fact that you can see the problem is only evidence that you are all too familiar with it. It suggests you are guilty too.

Paul makes our universal guilt clear in chapter three when he writes, “All have sinned…”

We are all without excuse. We are all guilty. We all need to be saved. And Jesus is the One who can save all who believe in Him.

Photo by [2Ni] on Unsplash