Self-Flattery

Have you ever heard about someone’s sin and thought, “Thank God, that could never happen to me!”? You may be right! You may not be capable of some of the more heinous crimes in history. There could be plenty of sins that are not particular temptations for you. For example, you may not find it difficult to obey traffic laws. (On the other hand, if you drive recklessly, please consider removing any St. Martin’s stickers from your vehicle.)

It can be easy to see other people’s sins and then take pride in ourselves that these are not temptations for us. That’s when you should look out. Paul writes in 1 Corinthians:

“[I]f you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!”

1 Corinthians 10:12, NIV

It can be a dangerous form of self-flattery to think, “I don’t need to worry about those sins. I’m safe.”

“I have a message from God in my heart

concerning the sinfulness of the wicked:

There is no fear of God

before their eyes.

In their own eyes they flatter themselves

too much to detect or hate their sin.”

Psalm 36:1-2, NIV

The problem with self-flattery is that it causes us to lose perspective. We are so busy navel-gazing that we lose sight of everything else!

It’s easy to hate other people’s sins: the driver who cut you off on the highway, the friend who insulted you behind your back, the romantic partner who cast you aside. The harder task, the job that requires strength of soul, is to detect and hate your own sin – those things that you find easy to excuse or overlook.

As you approach the weekend and this coming Sunday, ask God to make your own sins visible to you, but don’t just stop there! Ask that He would remind you that though your sins may be great, your Savior is greater.