STOP FLAUNTING YOUR QUALIFICATIONS
By Bishop Mike Okonkwo
Thursday 15th September 2022
“I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.” Luke 18:14 (KJV)
The entitlement mentality is one of the major issues that garage the believer “I am entitled because of my qualifications or because of what I have done”. Who told you that? Out of all the credentials you can reel out, which of them can equal the death of Jesus Christ.
Think of it! God so love the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Of all your qualifications and achievements, which of them can we equate with the death of Christ for the sins of the whole world?
The people we call unbelievers usually stand afar off because there is no issue of entitlement. They say: “I am not entitled! I am not even qualified to come close” In the parable that Jesus spoke in the book Luke chapter 18, the publican would not even lift up so much as his eyes. He was so ashamed of the things he has done that he couldn’t lift his eyes to behold the Lord. He only said: “God, be merciful to me a sinner.”
In other words, I am not qualified. There is nothing I can do! I have no other arguments. I don’t have any other plea but Jesus’ blood that was shed for me. That is my plea. I am coming because of the blood.
Is it a wrong thing to fast as the Pharisee did in the parable! Certainly not! Is it a wrong thing to witness? No. Is it a wrong thing to give? No. But we must be careful as Christians not to think that our credentials and qualifications should become the access into the presence of God to receive. The only access acceptable in the presence of God is the blood. The Publican didn’t have an entitlement mentality. I am not entitled, and he said just be merciful to me. According to Jesus the one who was tagged as unbeliever went down to his house justified rather than the Pharisee.
Further Reading: Luke 18:1-43
Daily Bible Reading: Morning- Proverbs 22-24; Evening- 2 Corinthians 8