Proverbs 20:6 comments

6 ¶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?

The Pharisee is called to mind who trumpeted his own faithfulness in…..

Luke 18:9 ¶ And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. 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. 12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. 13 And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.

There are many ways of handling this verse. For Christians one can see many people who claim that they have trusted in or believe in Christ, they think of themselves as being good people, and although they usually only pray when something is wrong and crack open the Bible if they want to find a verse that justifies something they want to do, and hardly ever unite with other Christians in worship or study, they’re pretty satisfied with themselves. They’ll vote for a certain political party and are suspicious of anyone who isn’t supported by the mainstream establishment of that party. As I said, they don’t much care for the Bible’s admonitions but will loyally listen to apostates and pseudo-Christians on the radio and follow their advice readily.

Then, there’s the person who knows that they need Christ every day. They find a body of believers to get together with as the body of Christ to worship and praise their God regularly. They read the Bible every day and pray, sometimes in tears, for God to help them do what is right. You won’t find them walking arm in arm with pseudo-Christians to protest some social ill at a political rally. Their answer to the world’s wickedness is prayer and trying to do right personally, humbling themselves before God, waiting on Him, their life and attitude being a constant testimony. They know that as Jesus said in John 15:5, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.” They have humbled themselves before God and realize their need for Him to fill them with the Holy Spirit. Christ, not some modern day Father Coughlin, is their leader. God the Father, not some politician with an eye on empire is their master. The Holy Spirit, not some TV preacher with a lust for celebrity, money, and fame is their guide.