Jesus describes a man who spends some time thanking God for not being a terrible person. Another guy, feeling unworthy to even look up to heaven, recognized his sin, and hated it. I wouldn't say it's wrong to thank God for not being terrible. I'm thankful that I'm not addicted to drugs, or caught up in prostitution, or broke from a gambling obsession. That's not wrong, but the element of recognizing the sin that is present in me is always vital.
What started as false confidence to convince myself that I like who I am has slowly developed into actual arrogance. I have honed in on the skills that I excel at, and I only do things in my wheelhouse. In school, we're forced to do a wide range of things, displaying our faults. I have been fortunate enough to find a job that utilizes my strengths, and the opportunities to feel embarrassingly inadequate are few and far between. Because of this, I struggle with thinking far too highly of myself. It seems like the part of me that recognizes my weaknesses has grown silent. This has led to a spirit that does not easily recognize sin in myself. I can't remember the last time I felt truly inadequate and repentant before a holy God. It's not wrong to be confident in Christ's righteousness given freely to me, but I can't forget how far from being like Christ I truly am. I am praying that God breaks me of my arrogance, and reveals to me the sin areas I need to attack. The process of sanctification is vital, and it hinges on recognizing sin.
The man in this story who recognized his sin left justified. I hope to always recognize my sin, and humbly approach God, overcome by thankfulness for His willingness to not only listen, but to forgive.
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