Luke 18:9:14
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
I believe God is calling for me not to be the arrogant hypocrite, who compares himself to others and believes himself/herself to be the better person...
What do you reckon? I mean, would you mind if I compared myself to you and said, "I would never do that!" or, "If I had their position/their partner/their wealth/their whatever, I would never behave/respond like that...!" Would you mind if I compared myself to you and found something in your life and/or character that's not as good as mine and then openly declared it to others, with a big flashing neon finger pointing at you, for all to see and judge you as I would...? Would you be okay with that...?
You don't do that...? You don't compare yourself to others, looking down on them for not doing "it" or living as you do or would...? You never condemn or damn someone else for the way they've done something, or do something, that you yourself would never do?
When was the last time you looked at a fellow Christian, a preacher, a co-worker, a member of your family, or even someone in your neighbourhood, and looked down on them (even if only internally/privately) and stated, "I would never do that...! I would never be like them!" or "Thank God I'm not like that!" and even gone on to point out how you would act "if..." and made yourself look the better person - even if the only person witnessing your response is you?
Matthew 7:1-5
Jesus said:
2 For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.
3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye?
4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye?
5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.
Oh, that I would have His heart, and not the heart of a hypocrite...