OK - let's admit it - those who are always at church - always praying - always talking about their relationship with God - may come off as - holier than thou. The thou - meaning you - yourself. It is not unusual for people to talk about - those - people - gossiping about how many hours - how many devotional practices - how often they are seen - on their knees - in prayer. There is no justification for this kind of criticism - spoken in angry tones - shared with others who hold the same attitude. In fact - it is none of - your - business - how - they - pray - how often - they - take time out of - their - day to practice - their - devotions. Guilt and justification for your lack of a prayer life - the most common motivator. Everyone has to acknowledge - realize - that a person's prayer life - relationship with God - is theirs and theirs alone. No two people are expected to have the same prayer - spiritual - life. If that were true - we would all be robots - blindly doing the exact same thing.
Just because we have been created in the likeness of God - does not make us God. On the contrary - we are very far from gods ourselves. Psalm 8 tells us that we were made a little less than a god - the difference is our tendency to sin - to do things that separate ourselves from God. Gossip is one - being uncharitable towards others - another. When we look at one's level of holiness - it should be our own level and no other's that we look at. Each of us is called to holiness - to a closer relationship with God. Each of us is an individual and as such - is expected to meet similar but different standards. You cannot put everyone in the same class - category - box. We attain holiness in many and various ways - through different - but similar - devotions. In this Lent when you reflect on your life - ask your self - holier than who - yourself! Have you grown over the past year spiritually - have you finally mastered that one sin that separates your from God - are your truly holier than YOU.
Deacon Dale
