Luke 10:29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

The parable of the Good Samaritan is one of Jesus’ most famous, but this particular detail stands out to me this morning. This man speaking to Jesus was an expert in the Law of Moses, and he knew the right words to say in terms of having a right relationship with God. However, his relationship with God wasn’t any deeper that the words on the page, and he naturally wasn’t satisfied with it. At the same time, he wanted to be right, to be the “expert.” That is a very natural, human impulse, but it can get us into a lot of trouble. The thing is, the only one who is always right is God; we are right only to the degree we agree with Him. The impulse to self-justification is something the devil loves to use to keep us from God. No one can be saved without acknowledging they are a sinner, which is to say, that they are in the wrong. The testimony of a genuine Christian is, “I was horribly wrong, but Jesus made me right.” We can’t accept by faith the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21) without acknowledging that “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.” (Isaiah 64:6) Being right is far more than having correct information. The man talking to Jesus had plenty of correct information, and Jesus commended him for it, but He took it a step further and told him he needed to act on it. (verse 28) As James pointed out, having correct information and not living it out is just deceiving ourselves. (James 1:22) We need to maintain the humility to say, “Lord, show me how to do the things You have told me, because I can’t do them on my own.”

This has been an issue for me most of my life. Being steeped in the Bible from infancy, I have always known the right words to say, just like this man talking to Jesus. However, far too often those words go no deeper into my heart and life than the ink on the page. The Lord confronted me about that when I was 24, but I still have to be careful about it over 50 years later! I don’t like having my mistakes pointed out to me any more than anyone else, but I’m learning to be grateful for it, because that’s the only way I will be right. I still try to justify myself all too often, but at least I know that’s a mistake! I need to let the Holy Spirit show me what is genuinely right, and enable me to act on it, because I certainly can’t do it on my own.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Thank You for the right things You do through me. Thank You for the good day at the gallery show yesterday, and particularly for the interaction with that one young man. Thank You also for the thunder shower that brought those other young men into the church for shelter, right after prayer meeting. Thank You for all of Your appointments! Help us meet them with joy, not depending on our own strength or wisdom but allowing You to use us as You will, for Your glory. Thank You. Praise God!