After I went to bed last night it dawned on me that my blog on drinking made me sound very much like the pharisee in the bible that thanked God he wasn't as bad as other people:
Luke 18:9
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 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. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
“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.’
“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."
I don't think I'm any better than anyone else who's struggling with issues that I've chosen to avoid. I simply wanted to express how it was made clear to me last night why I choose to abstain from alcohol. It reinforced the fact that I have no business going near the stuff. There's no good in it. But my post also made it clear how easy it is to fall into the trap of becoming judgmental. I always need to remind myself that there is no good that comes from my efforts alone. Any success I've had keeping away from the booze, or bettering myself in anyway has to be credited to the grace of God. I need mercy, for I am as big a sinner as any.
Whew! I feel lighter now. It feels good to give it away. Much Love.
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