 Many want others to say they are good. Some seek Botox, liposuction, or self-esteem therapy. Others fight to get into a good school or company. Some seek a trophy wife, while others go so far as to kill themselves, as in the Japanese practice of seppuku.
As we age, such desires are met differently—from being recognized as brave, smart, or good, to attaining financial or other success in the society. Many strive to earn praise from an important person. Disappointment kicks in when they find out the person is not that important, or the person is not good enough to judge them. In the end, they may not even know what they want. We want someone big to approve of us. But the biggest is God. The Bible explains that God’s approval is won in being righteous before God. Let’s learn from Luke 18:9-14, where a Pharisee considered himself righteous. The Pharisee prayed. He started with thanking God, but immediately turned to declaring himself better than others. He used his own metrics to determine himself being better: He was not a robber or an adulterer, he fasted twice a week, and he gave away 10 percent of his earnings (v11-12). His metrics included fasting, which was a cultural or a personal preference. The Pharisee set his own rules, and he relied on them to feel good about himself and look down on others. Then a tax collector prayed. In those days, tax collectors were considered evil, like gangsters. He knew he was bad, and he asked for God’s mercy. In the end, the Pharisee (the good one) was lost, while the tax collector (the bad one) was accepted by God (v14). Don’t lean on your behavior. Look at Christ’s life. Our behaviors are so far off. Instead, rely on God’s mercy. Rely on the death on the cross of His only Son. Only then can we find God’s approval. In spite of all our flaws, we still can be His wonderful children! Don’t set up your own rules to determine what is good and bad. Instead, trust God and use His rules. Summarized from a Tim Keller sermon, titled, “Inside out living.” https://gospelinlife.com/downloads/inside-out-living-5319/ 如何判定总统的好坏？ 特朗普总统是好还是坏？ 大多数人都希望别人说自己的好。有些人因此寻求去皱菌、吸脂或自尊疗法. 其他人争取进入好学校或大公司，或者娶得一个最佳老婆. 有些人甚至走极端去自杀, 日本的seppuku(破腹)就是一例。 这种欲望随着年龄的增长要求不同的满足--从年轻的时候被认为是勇敢，聪明，到浪漫情侣，良好父母，到在社会取得财务或其它方面的成功。 许多人竭力争取得到重要人物的赞赏。然而一旦发现这人不是那么重要，或不够资格判断自己时就会感到失望。这些人可能最后也不知道自己到底想要什么。 许多人希望得到大人物的认可， 但上帝是那位至高至大者。圣经里讲到惟有在神面前的义方能赢得祂的肯定。路加福音18：9-14描述了一位自以为义的法利赛人。让我们从那里学习功课。 那个法利赛人自言自语地祷告，开始先感谢上帝，随即却转而表扬自己如何比别人好，用自定的标准来证明自己的优越: 我不是强盗或淫乱之人, 我每周禁食两次，我捐献收入的十分之一 （路加福音18:11-12）。 他的自我衡量包括禁食，一种文化或个人偏好。这个法利赛人制定了一系列自己的规则，倚靠它们使自己感觉良好，并且看不起别人。 一个税吏此刻也在祷告。那时税吏在人们眼里通常都被认为是就像歹徒一样的邪恶。这个税吏知道自己有罪，所以祈求上帝怜悯。 最终，法利赛人（自诩的好人）失落了，而税吏（认罪的坏人）被上帝接纳了 （路加福音18:14）！ 不要倚靠你的行为。以基督的生命为准绳，我们的行为与之相比何等遥远。 当倚靠上帝的怜悯。信靠祂独生爱子在十架上的受死。惟有如此才可以得到神的认可。我们无论有多少的缺点仍然可以成为祂心爱的孩子！ 不要制定自己的规则来判定好坏。相反地，当信靠上帝，以祂的标准为准绳。
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