Saturday Sermonette - A Religious Prig

"Ah, yes, my books are all on the best seller lists, leading thousands to Christ...."

10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican.
11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess.
13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. Luke 18:10-13, KJV

I read a daily devotional called My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers. The other day, he said, "It is not your devotion to God that makes you refuse to be shallow, but your wish to impress other people that you are not shallow, which is a sure sign that you are a spiritual prig."

The Google dictionary defines "prig" as "a self-righteously moralistic person who behaves as if superior to others." As the Pharisee did when praying.

Goodness, how we Christians like to compare ourselves to the non-Christians--favorably, of course. Beware, those of you among the born-again. We're no better than anyone else. Maybe not as good as some. Hopefully we mature and become better Christians than we were yesterday or last week or ten years ago, but I don't believe we will arrive until the day we die--and even then, the only reason we'll get into heaven is because the Father will look at us through Jesus, the one and only perfect person.

I really don't want to be a religious prig. Do you?

Nah, I didn't think so.

Father, please provide our comeuppances when we get priggish. Every time. Thank You, and amen.