Today's Devotional
February 13, 2003
Subject: Thank God I'm Not Like Him
Luke 18:11 - "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."
This latest Michael Jackson thing is really funny to watch. I look at
the crowds of people who seem to follow him wherever he goes. Whether he's
hanging one of his young ones off of the second story balcony or if he's
simply taking a family trip to the zoo, it seems like their is quite a bit
of interest in Michael Jackson, the freak. No pun intended, most people
think that he is figuratively speaking, "Off The Wall." Those are the kinds
of terms I hear most often associated with him and I don't think those terms
are ever accompanied by words like, "I will pray for him" or anything similar.
Whether or not he has strange behaviors isn't so much the issue to me as
is the issue of where I stand with God. It's quite easy to play the role
of the Pharisee in the verse above. He was, in his own eyes, a great and
good man, just as most of us think ourselves to be. When we think that,
then it is quite easy for us to find people who are not "as good" or "as
normal" or as "fit for God" as we are. I know I used to think it more frequently
back in my early Christ-like days of 10 years ago or so. Everytime I heard
a secular artist with his or her vulgar words, I demeaned them for being
crazy, freakish and just plain wayward. Not that some of those things by
dictionary definitions weren't true, but it placed me on a loft from which
I could look down on them and ridicule their habits, actions and attitudes.
Instead, I should've have cried out to God. Not for them only, but also
for my condescending attitude toward them.
So let's not thank God that we're not like Michael Jackson, let's thank God
that God has given us a word for Michael and the entire world. Who knows,
one of you/us might be the tool used to reach Michael for eternity.
Carlen
