Being "Proper" Goes Deeper Than Good Etiquette

At small group tonight this question was asked: "Are you a Pharisee or a tax collector?"

Looking at Luke 18:9-14...this is what I was shown.

Pharisee
-Self-Righteous
-Compares self to the world
-Proud
-Not repetent (doesn't see self as a sinner)

Tax Collector
-Reliant
-Repenter
-Unworthy
-Defeated

With that comparison...Which one are you?

As humans, it's in our nature to compare ourselves to others. The reasoning behind the comparison can range widely - searching for self-exaltation, increasing self-esteem, being "better", wanting attention. The list can go on, but these are reasons I've seen in my own life.
I often look at people who are not living a life pleasing to God (non-believers) and compare myself to them. Again, it's often because I am trying to enhance my self-esteem to make me feel "worthy." Then realizing, it's quite easy for us to compare ourselves to the worst...but what is that doing for us? Notta thing. Well, nothing good at least. The only thing we get from that is pride and self idolization.

So what Jesus is pretty much saying...

Don't exalt yourself. Why?

Because you should be there. You should be swimming in the lake of sin. We all should.
But because the grace of God is so amazing and powerful, we are blessed enough to have been given that undeserving gift of Freedom.

So what's the proper attitude we should have toward ourselves?
-know, acknowledge and understand your unworthiness.
-realize just how undeserving you are.
-live and constantly remind self of the gospel. Keep it real.

This has really hit home for me, which is why I felt God urging me to share it.
Conviction is a tough thing for me to take, but when He makes it known - He makes it ALL known. And that is what makes my love for Him that much more real.
The more I see how incapable I am, the more I see how big of a sacrifice He made for me.

I'll end with this...Don't look at the world through human eyes, look at it through God's.