Dear Church,

This Morning my devotion led to Mark 2:13-17.  It recounts the moment Jesus called Levi (also known as Matthew), a tax collector working under Herod Antipas.  Sitting at his tax booth, Levi instantly responded when Jesus said, “Follow me.” Without hesitation, he left everything behind (vs.14).  Consider the depth of that decision:  Levi was not only despised by his own people for collaborating with Rome, but he also likely lived with the shame and guilt of profiting from their suffering. He knew he was at rock bottom, yet when Jesus extended His hand, Levi seized the opportunity to start anew.

That evening, Jesus dined at Levi’s home, where a group of “tax collectors and sinners” joined them. Not surprisingly, the Pharisees and teachers of the law criticized Him for associating with such people. In response, Jesus declared, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

Here’s the core of Jesus’ mission: He didn’t come to congratulate the self-righteous, but to rescue the broken. Self-righteousness is a subtle and dangerous trap. It creeps in when we start trusting our own moral accomplishments, good deeds, or religious practices more than God’s grace. Rooted in pride, it shifts our gaze from Christ’s saving work to our own perceived goodness. When that happens, our understanding of God, ourselves, and others becomes distorted.

We must acknowledge that even in us — those who have experienced grace — traces of self-righteousness or large chunks of it can linger.  Let this passage be a reminder:  Jesus came to heal the sick, to lift the sinner from spiritual death. He calls us to lay down our pride and come to Him as we truly are.  Self-righteousness could be when we are looking at someone’s externals, their clothing, tattoos or hairstyles as indicators of spiritual inferiority. Maybe we are elevating certain traditions or behavioral guidelines to measure holiness in others, or we take pride in our biblical and theological knowledge and our participation in bible studies as superiority over those who don’t. It could be that we brag in very subtle ways about our own acts of service, giving, or prayer life, implying others are less spiritual or less valuable to the church if they’re not doing as much.  Lastly if someone is wrestling with sin, or emotional pain we are quick to judge and condemn rather than empathize with them. The list goes on.  

Remember Self-righteousness undermines the heart of the gospel. This morning, I ask God to point out those areas of self-righteousness in my own hearts. Will you join me?
 
Be Encouraged,
Mathews