May we all be in touch with the knowledge that we are capable of thinking and performing some pretty awful stuff and that we are not even the slightest bit close to perfection. Let's be real with who we are. Having no flaws is not how I would describe myself or anyone else. Yet flaws and all God loves us but won't leave us that way. If you've visited the great cathedrals of the world, or at least seen pictures of them, you cannot help but wonder about the gargoyles that are carved into the architecture, often on the steeple or towers of the huge cathedrals.
Gargoyles are ugly, grotesque figures - part human, part animal.
They do have a utilitarian purpose, of sorts. Gargoyles serve as water spouts, the termination of rain gutters, with water shooting out of the gaping mouth of the grotesque gargoyle. And this is where the name comes from. Our attempts to climb the steeple, Muggeridge observed, are blocked by the sin contending in our lives. The gargoyle lurks between the steeple and our ascent, seducing us downward rather than upward.