The Freeing Realization: One Year Bible Reading for February 17

Today we read from the One Year Bible in the following places:

Leviticus 4:1-5:19
Mark 2:13-3:6
Psalm 36:1-12
Proverbs 10:1-2

And let's take a look at what happens in the gospel. Jesus is eating with tax collectors and other sinners. And some Pharisees see him doing this and ask each other why He's eating with sinners. He tells them that He has come to save sinners, not those who are righteous. "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners," He says.

Now let's back up. The "sinners" that He's eating with realize they're sinners. They know they need Jesus. There's no doubt. But the Pharisees THINK they're righteous. They don't realize that they need Jesus even more than the "sinners" who are eating with Him.

This is a great reminder for several reasons. One is, we need Jesus, all of us. No matter how good you think you are, you can't go to heaven based on how good you are. You need Jesus. That "freeing realization" is what the quote in the picture above tells us about.

And number two, it reminds us that most of the time when we're gossiping about someone who has "sinned" in an obvious, public way (like killing someone or working in prostitution or stealing), we are putting ourselves in a worse place spiritually than the people we're talking about. They KNOW they're sinners and need forgiveness. But if we're not careful, we'll think WE are righteous and above them. And pride is the worst sin of them all.

God, thanks for giving us freeing realizations, that bring us closer to You.