Sinner or Saint

I was just wondering the other day, what an outsider looking in on a Christian might see. I remember how I viewed Christian people. Everything seemed so perfect. Nicer clothes, cleaner homes and they always seemed so happy. Of course, this memory comes from my childhood and most kids were either laughing with someone or at someone, so I guess that explains the happy part. I really didn't have much interaction with kids of faith. Most of the dudes I hung out with were pretty similar to me...rebellious and somewhat dorky (product of the 80's).
Now that I am a Christian, I find myself in different shoes. My church has all kinds of people from all walks of life in it. There is the young alternative crowd, the homeless, divorced, single parents, people with money and people without. There is black, white and all the other colors. We even have a large crowd of recovering alcoholics and drug abusers. This is not the vision that I saw when I was a kid on the outside looking in. These are definitely not "Saint Like" role models. Are they? But what does the word Saint even mean. I see it as someone who strives to be good and lives their life to be God on display. So I guess you could say that all of these people, these Christians, are sinners who yearn to be saints. We are all here on a journey to discover who we really are. To find out what our purpose is and what God desires for us. I would say that is saintlike behavior as well.
Now, how about the word Sinner. What does that mean? Is it someone who makes bad choices and feels no remorse? Is it someone who chooses a self destructive life style over one that has purpose and meaning? Is it just someone who is plain evil? I think it has different meanings for everyone. The sad truth is that we are all sinners. From the day we came out of the womb, we entered into a fallen world and it is in our destiny to sin. There has only been one person that has walked on this Earth who was perfect and without sin. He died for us on a cross so that we could be free from the sin that binds us.
So what are you...sinner or saint? I am a sinner who strives to live like a saint. I make bad choices but learn from them as well. I am in constant prayer to ask for forgiveness and guidance to keep me on a righteous path. I am a sinner, but I am redeemed!
I love that our church is full of misfits. I hope that when people are on the outside looking in, that they see real life people with real life problems finding God.