THOUGHTS OF THE MODERN DAY PHARISEE

THOUGHTS OF THE MODERN DAY PHARISEE 

Who are "those people" over there?

I had never realized there were so many of them

people I must be afraid of

people who are taking advantage of me

and my magnificent generosity (I do pay taxes after all)

people who look different

dress differently

act, perhaps, a bit odd

But there are there

they are everywhere

lazing around

asking for "handouts"

making me feel uncomfortable

being an inconvenience

I am glad I am not like them

I am glad I can stand here and know

That I am so much better

That I have done it all by myself
I built it!

Yes I did, and no one helped

Ever

Nope!  I did it...

And so I am not like them...

Those... Hispanics.

Those... Blacks.

Those people with mental illness.

or addiction issues.

Those people who were born so poor they went to school hungry

(they should have sucked it up and worked harder)

or without good clothes (ok, so I teased them, so what?).

Those people who were born with a developmental disability.

Those people who went home to physical or sexual abuse

every night after school.

Those women who have been raped
or beaten
or oppressed
and live in poverty and fear

Those people who had to flee their country because of violence and hate

and now struggle to survive in a strange land.

Those soldiers who have lost a limb (thank you for your service)

Those people who are caught in circumstances beyond their control, and 

simply, positively, need help

Those elderly who need support (they should have saved more)

Those people

I can simply write them off

They are simply an inconvenience

A burden

They are nothing

They have nothing to do with me

They are not my problem...  or are they?

I am glad that I am not

like them.... or am I?

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 Jesus on Judging - Luke 18:10-14

 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men — robbers, evildoers, adulterers — or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

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 Jesus on Helping the Vulnerable -  Matt 25:31-40

"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his throne in heavenly glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate the people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. 33 He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.

34 "Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.'

37 "Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'

40 "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'