Do I deserve a blessing?

Deuteronomy 9: ⁶ The Lord your God is giving you this good land to take as your own. But you must understand that it isn’t because you are a godly nation. In fact, you are stubborn.

============

“You are very good at what you do” people would say. The first few times I heard this, I was flattered but couldn’t believe it. As time passed I would hear those words and wonder “where is my promotion?” After a while I started to demand a raise and a promotion.  “I’m the best employee they have” I thought to myself.

• When I compare myself to others I get a deserving attitude.
• When I think my talents are “my” talents I get a deserving attitude.
• When I have achieved great things and think it’s because of me, I get a deserving attitude.

My deserving attitude can turn into pouting with GOD. “Why aren’t YOU giving me my way right now GOD?” is where I end up.  Then I start telling HIM about how I served HIM way back about a decade ago and maybe how I went to church last month.  Frankly, GOD isn’t impressed.

• GOD is blessing me in spite of me.
• GOD is blessing me in the “middle” of my sins and doesn’t wait for me to clean myself up.
• GOD is blessing me even when I choose not to follow HIM, but loves when I do.

Mercy, grace and love are some of GOD’s strongest attributes but I can’t forget HE also has wrath, jealousy and judgment as part of HIS supremacy. GOD can discipline me when HE wants to and HE can bless me. HE can close doors and open them. HE loves when I submit my will to HIM, but my submission does not change HIS mind otherwise I could manipulate HIM.

GOD blesses me in spite of me and loves me enough to die for me.

• Do you think you deserve your blessing?
• Do you feel you have served GOD and now HE owes you something?
• Can you stop looking at your service and thank HIM for where you are?
• Won’t you accept where HE has you and thank HIM for HIS great plan for you?

I’m better than that person

Luke 17: ⁹ To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:

¹⁰ “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹ The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. ¹² I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

   ¹³ “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

   ¹⁴ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

============

My neighborhood where I grew up was not bad by any stretch of the imagination but there were a few unsavory characters.  One guy constantly broke in our garage and there were others who acted loud and obnoxious.

My parents once scolded me for not doing my chores and I said in my defense, “I’m doing better than those guys.”

• Just because I do fewer sins than another person doesn’t mean I am not off the hook for my own sins.
• Just because someone does something worse than the sin I just did doesn’t give me the right to compare myself to them.
• Just because I have reset my standards doesn’t mean everyone around me is going to reset theirs.

My friends and family have felt my judgmental behavior which actually drives them away from GOD. Discussions about “those” sinners are not appealing to anyone. GOD wants me to humbly admit “I am a sinner.” By the way there is a period on that last sentence.

• Do you think you are better than “that” person?
• Have you stopped doing certain sins and judging others for doing those sins?
• What sins are you hiding?
• Are you willing to proclaim your sins in front of everyone to finally release its deadly grip on you?