Kingsley Nwaekwe

If all you're concerned about is following protocol and rules, but you don't have the love of God in you, then you've missed the mark.

If you're so concerned about upholding your rules and your morals that you alienate and isolate people in the process, you have missed the point.

When do we ever see Jesus in the Gospels turning away people because they're too sinful or too messy or because they are struggling with this sin or that sin?

We don't.

In fact, the only people Jesus is hard on in all of the Gospels are the judgmental, overbearing religious leaders.

Another thing that Jesus rebukes the Pharisees for is pride.

He rebukes them for doing things just for show.

They love to have the best seats in the synagogues.

They pray loudly and fast publicly and make grand gestures of their giving so that everybody knows they are holy people.

But do you know that underneath the facade of holiness, there is a more insidious motive of making people think we are better than them?

The ways we do this aren't much different than the Pharisees.

Look at me and how much I give for offering every week.

Look how I'm fasting and you're not.

Look how eloquently I pray and how inadequate your prayers are if you pray at all.

Look at how clean my life is and how dirty yours is.

So many of us carry this same spiritual pride with us.

And spiritual pride is worse than regular pride.

Spiritual pride makes us feel like we are more loved by God than anyone else.

It makes us believe we are better and more special when the truth is that God does not play favorites.

God does not love the person who prays and worships 18 hours a day more than the sinner who has never prayed a day in their life.