Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: Luke 18:9
Probably most of you are familiar with this story Jesus told about the Pharisee who prayed on the street corner to hear himself talk about a litany of righteous things he did while judging the wicked tax collector who embraced his sin and humbly called out for God’s mercy. Jesus concluded that it was the tax collector who went home justified.
I will wager that more Christians are likely to have great confidence in their own righteousness than they are seeing themselves as great sinners on their knees in need of God’s mercy. I say this because I understand myself. We might intellectually say we are sinners in need of God’s grace, but in our heart of hearts we justify ourselves by our good behavior and look upon those sinners with scorn.
This perfectly describes 9 out of 10 comments on the internet as coming from those who have “great confidence in their own righteousness and scorn everyone else.” Let’s face it, the internet is the scorn capital of the world. It’s not healthy. Whether you enter in or just read it, it makes us all Pharisees. And if you are following someone who is a Christian but is scorning people left and right, I would get out of there. It can’t be bringing you closer to the Lord.
We all need to identify with the tax collector. You see the parable of Jesus presents us with a supposedly good guy and a bad guy, when in fact the Bible says no one is good — no not one. Truth of the matter is there are two bad guys here and the only difference between them is that one knows it and the other does not. In fact the one who doesn’t know he is a sinner —just as bad as the tax collector — is worse off because he thinks he’s better than based on his good deeds. He says “I am not like other people—cheaters, sinners, adulterers. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.” (Luke 18:11-12) Or “There, but for the grace of God go I.” I never have understood that sentiment. It’s often used in a positive sense. No … it should be “There am I thanks to God’s grace.” God’s grace has shown me my sin and my need for Jesus — my only hope.
The tax collector “dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’” (Luke 18:13)
When you set right your illusions of grandeur or pride, you are brought very low, where you meet with others who have also been brought low. There in that place your heart is enabled to touch another. It is the meeting of the heart, causing you to immediately connect with others’ feelings. This is where you find the ability to empathize with those who have fallen, too, causing you to quickly accept and love them as no other can.
It is important to understand people who experience fallen pride, often become regretful, which is as bad as sin, but we don’t treat it as such. You say to yourself and others that you wish you had not fallen. You wish things did not happen the way they did. This is where the “good Christian” lives — brooding over mistakes or disasters, which will continue to intimidate you, turning you away from love. These feelings of inadequacy will always isolate you, making you afraid to venture out or reveal yourself again.
Yet, on the good side of admitted fallen pride is the simple understanding that you are inadequate indeed. In the core of your being, this inadequacy makes God’s strength perfect in your weakness, with grace to turn outward to others, and to do so with greater compassion, sensitivity, wisdom and understanding.
This suggests that our mistakes can be redeemed and put to God’s intended purpose.
Two bad guys — one knows it, the other doesn’t. What a difference when you do.
Today is Holocaust Remembrance Day
Two videos are courtesy of Robert Smith
A 30-second remembrance:
A Moment of Silence to Remember Israel’s Fallen
Event recorded today in Jerusalem:
John Fischer The Catch 
My education has been in Christian schools from third grade through college. In my senior year of college I studied philosophy and other religions. I got off track and became spiritually eclectic . I had alot of head knowledge of Christianity but not a real relationship with God. And I loved to mess with the heads of people that told me I needed Jesus or should come to their church. I hit bottom with my addictions in 1987. I thought I had run too far for Gods grace. I know today that God has been relentlessly trying to develop a relationship with my my whole life. He has brought alot of people into my life to guide me on the path to Him. In 12 step meetings they sat the best person to carry the message to a addict is another addict. Maybe the best person to carry the message of Gods grace to a sinner is another sinner. As I write this two books come to mind. Brennan M. s Ragamuffin Gospel and John’s 12 Steps for Recovering Pharisees
To those pharisees in the 21st century I love telling them that Jesus was NOT a Christian, a Republican, Democrat, nor an Independent.
It’s amazing how people like to rate sin from 0-10 as 10 being the worst. When in God’s eyes sin is sin whether you murdered someone or holding a grudge against a brother or sister in the Body of Christ
Great Story always. We all sin no matter what. Its about following Jesus and asking the Lord for mercy. Even though at times we look at one sin worse than another but, in God’s eyes its all sin. We always need his mercy and especially when we have found Jesus so we never get away from being humble when we realized how much we need our Lord and Savior. Always pray for everyone no matter the situation and never put ourselves above anyone. Take care, God Bless, and have a great day.