Cast the Pharisee out of My Heart

Read Luke 18:9-14

People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

1 Samuel 16:7

Before when I read the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, I immediately identified myself with the tax collector that I was a sinner and needed Jesus’ mercy on me. I never identified myself with the Pharisee.  However one day when I studied this parable again, our gracious God convicted me to examine my inner soul.  Do I have to cast the Pharisee out of my own heart?

We are called by Jesus to be the people of compassion.  However, do I love people with full acceptance? Do I judge and criticize people? Outwardly, people may not see the Pharisee in my heart, but God sees it all.   On that day, I asked God to help me cast the Pharisee out of my heart.  I have to learn to apply God’s gospel rules into my relationship with other people.  Firstly, I confessed to my husband for being critical to him in our marriage relationship.  No man is perfect.  No spouse is perfect either.  We are all sinners.

How about you?  Are you critical to your spouse like me?  Or are you critical to your children, siblings or friends?  Are you struggling with full acceptance of our loved ones or others?  Let God’s light shine on our hearts.  Let God help us cast the Pharisee out of our hearts today.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, we are all sinners and have mercy on us.  Please help us have compassion toward people and love them with full acceptance.  Amen.

Thought for the Day: To bring God’s light into our hearts is the best way to cast Pharisee out of our hearts.