A reflection by Danny Schweers for May 14, 2023.
Towards the end of his book, Spying on the South, Tony Horwitz says that self-righteous certitude is one of the great ills affecting our country, left wing or right wing.
What appalled him was the self-congratulatory attitudes he encountered in people who were not only certain in their beliefs but dismissive of those who held contrary beliefs, people with the smug unshakeable belief that they see the truth while others dangerously delude themselves. And knowing the truth, they are ready to fight.
I say knowing the truth is reason to forgive, not to fight. I say forgiving others as we are forgiven is a fundamental priority if we claim to follow Jesus, if we claim to be inspired by the Holy Spirit, if we claim to know the way, the truth, and the light. If we know, if we are sure of our knowledge, it must be a knowledge that binds us to others, a vision that shows that we are like them, different as we may be from them, deluded as they may be, for we know how easily we are deluded.
Am I certain of this? I am. Am I self-righteous about it? I hope not.
Jesus’s parable in Luke 18:9-14 about two people praying comes to mind, one a respected teacher of religion, the other a despised tax collector.
“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax-collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax-collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.” But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.’”
The trick here is to believe with conviction without letting that belief stop you from loving your neighbor, even if that neighbor is your enemy. That is some trick! Jesus held firm beliefs and we should also, but we should not trust in ourselves that we are righteous.
And isn’t that a curious phrase, “to trust in ourselves”. I could chew on the meaning of that for many more paragraphs and still not be able to swallow. Let me end by simply saying it is clear that the humble are justified in heaven. Pray for me!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Danny N. Schweers chairs SsAM’s Communication Committee and is an active photographer and writer. Click here to visit his website and make a comment.
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