Its so frustrating in my own daily life to deal with this carnal notion that somehow I am validated by proving that I am right, I am on the inside track, I am better, I am more worthy, I am a part of the inner circle, etc. In order to fixate that attitude in my mind, I must do it at the expense of other persons. Someone has to be the "dregs" of society if I am going to be superior. Someone has to be the disdainful in order for me to be the bright and beautiful.
Now don't take me wrong. I know that Christ in me makes me special. I know that being a child of God makes me somebody. I know that being filled with His Spirit should give me confidence to face the world and our enemy.
What I'm talking about ties in with Christ's parable in
Luke 18:
9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men--extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.' 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat 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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I guess its the shameless self-promotion that raises its ugly head in me that I get disgusted with. I find myself feeling justified looking down on others. I see the disgusting things others do around me and I think thoughts of "I'm not like them." I feel smug. I feel I'm in a different class. And again, as a child of God I am. But its the moment that I compare myself to them as opposed to comparing myself to Him is when I have gone from being clothed in His Righteousness and I throw on the dirty rag of my own.
I want to be a loving Christian. I want to love my enemies. I want to love the difficult to love. I want to love that person who gets on my nerves, the person who cuts me off in traffic, the person who frustrates me, the person who offends me, the person who disagrees with me, the person who I find most difficult to love.
I think Sis. Alvear is one person I feel embodies this Spirit of Love on this forum, or any other forum for that matter. I have never read anything from her that I feel ever exudes false piety, arrogance or judgmentalism. We would all do well to follow her example.