August 3, 2023
Passage Read: Luke 17-18
Meditation Verse: 18:9
Thought
Humility is the hallmark of a servant of Christ, even those that are following Him best and closest. Their righteousness doesn't come from their own works or obedience, but from God. Their righteousness is a gift from God, and because they recognize how precious and valuable a gift it is, they respond in grateful obedience. Their heart to obey is the result of their faith in Jesus, a gift, an exchange of a soft heart for a hard heart, made by God. And with it comes a love for people that has compassion on them and desires the best for them, that they too might know and love Jesus Christ. So how could a believer look down on others? Instead, he grieves over their ignorance, tries to help them believe, and might become offended for Jesus' sake when they reject Him. But not look down on them, even if he pronounces judgment on them.
Application
No matter how well I think I'm doing in following Jesus, I should never be too confident in my righteousness and I should never look down on people. Any love and longing to please Jesus comes from Him, and any success at following Him is the result of changes He wrought in me and revelation He gave to me. And everyone else is at the mercy of God, just as surely as I am. They are blinded by Satan, just as I once was. And if God doesn't open their eyes, that doesn't make me superior in any way, but blessed to have been chosen, and sad that at present, they appear to be rejected.