Romans 2:19-21 If you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

This is a perennial problem, probably from the dawn of history. The self-righteous rarely if ever live up to what they proclaim. Jesus dealt with it with the Pharisees, and told His disciples, “Do as they say, not as they do.” (Matthew 23:3) Very recently, in the Senate confirmation hearing for Pete Hegseth as Secretary of Defense, some senators were accusing him of being drunk on the job in previous work. Not only are such accusations from anonymous sources, they have been vigorously denied by people who actually have worked with him. That said, the perfect rebuttal was given by another senator who said to the accusers, “How many times have you seen fellow senators come in to vote in the evening after having been drinking? I know it’s been many times, but you never accuse them.” This is sadly human nature. Politicians may be in a special category, but this problem certainly infects the Church as well. None of us live up totally to the standards we hold. The only person to ever do that was Jesus of Nazareth. That’s why we are all so urgently in need of the grace of God. Spiritual conceit is the most dangerous kind! We all need to seek to be honest with ourselves and with God, because if we are that, we will certainly be humble! The flip side of that is parents who fail to discipline their children because they remember that they themselves did the same or worse. That too is a big mistake. We are to be honest about our imperfections, but still not deny the perfection that God calls us to. (Matthew 5:48)

This is something I have tangled with thoroughly. Being familiar with the Bible from my childhood, I thought that familiarity was all I needed, making me better than those around me. God finally dealt with me strongly on that issue when I was 24, and I have been painfully aware of it ever since. From that point, I have felt that James 1:22 was written expressly for me: “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” The people Paul was writing to here deceived themselves into thinking that their head knowledge was equal to obedience, but that is a trap of the devil. I have been a pastor for many years now, but I am always aware that I am preaching first to myself, and that I can’t expect others to do better than I do. The good news is that God’s grace is sufficient for us all, so we can encourage and support one another, even in our weaknesses.

Father, thank You for this reminder. Help me never forget it! May I indeed proclaim Your righteousness, holiness, and truth, but do it in the awareness of Your grace and mercy, and that I am as in need of that grace and mercy as those to whom I minister, for Your glory alone. Thank You. Praise God!