Posted on April 17, 2010 by newhope2010

Psalm 1:1, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”

As Christians we understand that we should be careful where we take advice – that we should not listen to the counsel of ungodly people, and that we cannot spend our time with sinful people or else we begin to do and think like they do – that evil companions do indeed corrupt good morals.

But how often do we “sit in the seat of the scornful”?  How often do we judge our fellow human beings, looking down our righteous noses at others whom we consider to be sinners?

I think of the Pharisee Jesus referred to in His parable in Luke 18.  He was so proud of his own righteousness, of his own faithfulness, and of his service to God.

Luke 18:9-14, “And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others:  10  Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.  11  The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. 12  I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.  13  And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner.  14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Just as Jesus knew, when we begin to trust in our own selves and in our own righteousness we also begin to despise others.  As we forget our own sinfulness before God, we begin to judge others that we think are not living the Christian life as well as we are.

Instead of being humble, we exalt ourselves, and in exalting ourselves we begin to condemn where we have no right to condemn.   And it seems to me, that the longer we have been in a church, or the longer it is since we became a Christian, the more we are tempted to think of ourselves more highly than we ought.  Romans 12:3.

Lord, keep in our minds that we have all fallen from your favour, that we have all sinned before you and have need of your forgiveness in our lives.  Help us never to forget that you died for each of us on that Roman cross almost 2000 years ago.  Help us to always be humble and never to judge unrighteously or unfairly.

© Bevan Collingwood 2010