"Those Who Trust in Themselves as Just" - ie - "I'm a Good Person"

Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm a good person?"  I have.  I hear it all time.  Someone will be talking to me about themselves, and in describing their character, will first and foremost make a declaration of their goodness, by asserting, "I'm a good person."   Upon attending any funeral these days, you will hear that the deceased is already in heaven. Obviously it's a lot easier to get to heaven these days than it used to be.  But, that aside, I have noted that the particular people who protest their goodness the most, are the very ones who have little to no faith in God, are outright atheists, or if they go to church, one wonders what effect it really has on them - one of the major causes of church goers being called "hypocrites" by non-church goers.

Yesterday, while we were still reeling from the Colorado shootings, we heard of yet another tragic shooting, where another young man opened fire in a Sikh Temple, killing 6 innocent people and wounding several others, before being killed himself by police. This seems to be becoming an American tragedy; and everyone has an opinion on the causes, and the remedies.

But do we really fully understand the nature of evil anymore? I recall a suspense-thriller program on the radio, when I was just a little girl, where the announcer always opened the show with these lines: "What evil lurks in the hearts of men?"  These days, I would suggest the whole concept of evil has been muted to such a degree, where we have modern popular songs such as: "Sympathy for the devil." 

I personally know people who go to church on Sunday, and profess themselves to be Christian, who say they are pro-choice, and believe in gay marriage. And if you asked these people to describe themselves, they would tell you, they are  "good people." We have lowered the bar on just how low you have to go before you reach bottom - or true evil - that I suggest no one knows the difference anymore. And then we wonder why we have these random acts of violence popping up more and more?

What is a "good person, and why do so many people these days see themselves as "good persons?"  If we look up Webster's Dictionary definition of the word "good", we see a plethora of positive and even very flattering synonyms. Words such as "morally good; honorable; worthy; respectable; virtuous; honest; just etc., just to name a few - and who would not want to see themselves that way? Especially in a time when we are taught to appreciate ourselves and err in favor of a positive assessment of our character, rather than have low self esteem.  And I am not encouraging self-hatred of any kind.

I'm simply offering another perspective - which is - there is Webster's definition of "good", and then there is the spiritual definition of "good".   For in the Bible we read, "No one is good except God alone." Luke ch. 18. Does this mean none of us can be respectable, morally good, honest or virtuous?  I'm not saying that either. What I am saying is that these attributes of goodness are what we aspire to - they are not qualities which we as sinners naturally possess in and of ourselves, without the saving grace of God.

Modern 21st century man has come to view himself as the sole arbiter of goodness - he decides what qualifies as good - and he himself personally attains goodness of his own accord - without the need of any higher good.

Now, before you say I'm being judgmental - I will quote Our Lord Himself, in his parable about those who "trust in themselves as just." from Luke 18. I'm sure we are all well acquainted with this story of the pharisee and the publican, where the pharisee standing, (note standing,not kneeling) goes on to make an account of himself and his "goodness" and giving thanks to God - that he is not like the rest of the riff-Raff sinners, such as extortioners, adulterers and the like.  All the while, some poor little publican stands afar off, not even daring to lift his eyes to heaven, beating his breast saying, "O God, be merciful to me a sinner."

Jesus then says,  "I say to you, this man (the publican) went to his house justified rather than the other: because every one that exalteth himself shall be humbled, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted."  So, it would seem that Our Lord is giving a warning to all us "good people" out here.

My question today is which one of these characters in this parable would you say you identify with? And do you think that simply making laws against guns is the answer to these random acts of violence?  Or do you think we need better psychiatric care for these unbalanced individuals? Or would you say we need, as a nation, to turn back to our Creator as the sole arbiter of true goodness, so that we are once again, one nation under God.