31 Jesus answered them, “It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”
One of the most freeing things I do daily is admit that I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I have no delusions of perfection, either in myself or in others. I accept the sinfulness of my own nature and the nature of others. I expect to see that sin worked out in ever increasingly sinful and selfish ways. I don’t expect the world to get better, or for political solutions to fix things. Things are unfixable apart for Jesus. When sinful human beings get involved, sin happens. Even Christians swim against the current, continually struggling to stay afloat. Jesus speaks these words to the religious leaders who are unwilling or unable to see their own need of healing and repentance. If they saw it, they could receive the offer that Jesus makes. But instead, they hold their head high thinking their self-righteousness is enough. For me, I know I need a Savior. I see the depths of my own heart, and it is black, dark and deceptive. So I am thankful for the light of Christ that now illuminates the corners of my being. Apart from Him, I am capable of even the most horrid of crimes. And I dare say, so are you. Only God’s grace has kept any of us from turning into a murderer. If we have ever lost our temper and the thoughts of killing someone have crossed our mind, the grace of God has kept you from carrying out that thought. So I loudly proclaim that I need a doctor for my soul, that I am a sinner. And the grace of God responds and works the transformation in my inner being. I am being changed moment by moment. But some people want to hold onto the delusion of goodness, thinking they have something of value to offer, that they can contribute to the goodness pool. As soon as we start saying “we’re not so bad,” we are in big trouble. If we compare ourselves to someone else and say “at least I am not a …” we have lost the battle with sin. The only valid object of comparison is God, and we don’t even begin the battle with Him. He is perfect, without fault. So today, begin admitting that there is nothing in you that qualifies you as healthy or righteous. Admit you are sick and a sinner in need of a Savior. Then the Lord can begin His work in you. Begin today.
The Arnold Journey 