In the recesses of the human heart lies deception. We see ourselves, our imperfect views and perverse desires and actions, though rose-colored glasses. Proverbs 21:2, lays bare this blunt truth: “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord ponders the heart.
We have become the masters of justification and able designers of excuses. We explain away our sin, minimize our failings, and even more sadly, we compare ourselves to others to feel better about our own failings.
I have been there, just like the Pharisee in Luke 18:11. I made a similar statement to my wife: “At least I am not like other men.” She quickly shut me down.
That was a tough pill to swallow, especially when I believed I was above “those” other men. She told me she did not care what other men were doing with their lives. It was me, my soul, my salvation she was worried about. Everyone needs that “someone” in their lives who is not afraid of telling you like it is. But I digress.
We talk ourselves into thinking our motives are pure, our intentions are the noblest, all the while, our actions oppose the very principles we claim to live by.
God cannot be fooled. He sees right through our carefully crafted excuses, and the self-righteous anger we cling to with our very lives. He sees the darkness that skulks within us, the hidden motives, the twisted desires that ignite the fuel of our actions.
Our own scales are rigged, because we rig them to lean our way. God’s scales are perfectly balanced. He weighs our hearts, not just our actions. He observes our motives, our thoughts, the very core of who we are, and His judgement, truly unlike our own, is always accurate, always just, always true.
This is a chilling vision for those who cling to their self-righteousness. It is a wake-up call, or at least it should be, for those who believe they can dupe God with their outward displays of piety, all the while, their hearts remain cold and unchanged.
How shall we, with our self-indulgent lives and unexamined conscience, face the judgement-seat of Christ?
When God’s pure light shines into the darkness of our hearts, the weight of our sin can feel unbearable. It is a crushing realization that we are not as upright as we thought we were, that our motives, more often than not, are extremely selfish, and we fall far short of His perfect standard.
Nil desperandum my brothers and sisters, nil desperandum. Across the desert lies the promised land; it is an invitation to repentance. It is a chance to lay down our pride, to confess our sins, and to seek forgiveness from the One who alone can cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
If we do not love penance for its own sake, let us love it on account of our sins; for you should “work out your own salvation in fear and trembling; for God is at work in you…” Phil 2:12-13.
When we surrender our will to God’s judgment, we open ourselves up to His transformative power. He does not just condemn us, as many might think; He offers us a new heart, a new spirit, a new life (Ezekiel 36:26).
This, by no means is this a quick fix or an easy solution. It is a process, a lifetime of purification and sanctification, of allowing the Holy Spirit to mold us into the image of Christ. It is a journey of constant repentance, of recognizing our own sinfulness and clinging to the grace that saves us.
“To know how to submit ourselves with our whole soul, is to know how to imitate Christ.” – St. Basil the Great
So, how do you believe your heart will fare on God’s scales? Are you willing to let Him examine your motives, your thoughts, your deepest desires? Are you ready to surrender your self-righteousness and embrace the very painful but necessary process of repentance?
Endeavor to act as you would wish to have acted when you stand before your Judge. This is the rule of the Saints, and the only rule for all.
The choice is always yours, as God has given to you free will. The one thing that you should never forget: God’s judgment is inevitable. There is no escaping it. No lawyers, no character witnesses. Just you and Jesus.
God’s justice is always joined to (and fulfilled through) mercy, and God’s mercy never cancels truth. In a word: God’s justice is not only retribution; it is the love that restores right order.
Humble yourself before Him now, while there is still time to turn away from the ways of the world and find forgiveness in the Lamb of God, who shed His blood for you on Calvary. For it is only then that you will truly find the peace, joy, and freedom that come from a heart aligned with His perfect will.
Put this to memory: “God has promised forgiveness to your repentance, but He has not promised tomorrow to your procrastination.” St. Augustine of Hippo
Live your life worthy of HIS Sacrifice +
God Love You +
Deacon Dez
