Modern Pharisees

Last week I met a man whom I have known for many years. He must be about 70 by now. He kept describing himself as "a man truly filled by the Holy Spirit." Kept telling us he would not do anything or go anywhere without the approval of the Holy Spirit. Good for him to be so obedient to the Holy Spirit!

The thing that got my goat was - he kept telling me about the people and the churches that in his opinion "do not have the Holy Spirit." The churches include The Salvation Army. In the end he gave the impression, he was the only one in that crowd of people at the wake who had the Holy Spirit!

Well we do meet people of his ilk everywhere. Arrogant, Pharisaical and obnoxious! They are to be pitied. Recall the story Jesus told about the Pharisee and the Publican at prayer in Luke 18: 9-14. Actually the Pharisee did not pray, he merely boasted, while the tax gatherer prayed "Lord be merciful to me a sinner."

No need for self commendation. It is the penitent tax gatherer, conscious and sorry for his own sin and need that Jesus commends. Certainly not the proud and arrogant Pharisee. "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" Matt. 5: 3

Now I need to watch for it is easy when dealing with matters of faith all the time, I can go along the same road as the Pharisee. I join the psalmist in prayer.

"Search me O God and know my heart, test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." Psalm 139: 23-24.

Let me share a prayer by the Retired General John Gowans entitled "Humbug"

You really ought
To deal with him,
For after all he's Yours!
He calls himself
Your servant
If you please!
He breaks up
Everything that's beautiful
And then,
With saintly smile,
He gets down on his knees!
His piety is painful,
He lays it on so thick,
His saintliness quite frankly
Is enough to make me sick!

I don't know how You stand him.
But then I too have flaws,
And I too have the insolence
To say that I am Yours!