~ by Terry Walters
Luke 18:10-14
To listen to some people,
you'd think they were the best
there is at nearly everything.
For me, the moment you try to
impress me is when you fail to impress me.
It's kind of silly and gross but
when we were kids, we used to say
someone like that “thinks they are hot
snot on a silver platter, but they're
just cold boogers on a paper plate!”
(Don't believe me? Google it!)
Anyway, if arrogance turns people off,
imagine how it makes a perfect, holy God feel!
The Bible says He hates man's pride
and will bring proud men to ruin.
The Pharisee was so proud of himself
with all his religious and civic
actions and position in the community.
He looked down on the simple tax collector
and bragged that he wasn't like him.
That tax collector was humble and penitent
and asked for mercy. God gave mercy
and grace to the humble man, not the Pharisee!
It does no good to compare yourself to others.
They are not the standard, Jesus is!
And none of us can even come close to measuring up to him.
Prayer: Father, help us to be humble
before we have to be humbled.
Help us to stay focused on
Jesus rather than other people
and to try to be like Him.
P.S.: I read this somewhere:
Bragging about yourself violates norms
of modesty and politeness - and if
you were really competent, your
work would speak for itself.
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