Page 522 … Just the Way it is
“I know you don’t like that, but that’s [just] the way it is!”
Frankly, my Friend, I still find it absolutely astounding that you can sincerely claim to have an objective knowledge of the “true meaning” of the Scriptures (and even the very nature of God Himself) – knowledge that neither the most well-studied scholar nor the most devout reverend can ever hope to claim! … From whom did you receive such “factual knowledge” of the Bible and the heavenly Father, Lucy? And why were only you & yours made privy to your own particular conservative interpretations of that unique “Truth”?
No matter really, because whether or not you are ultimately right or wrong, Jesus had a few things to say to folks like you & yours – a few things to say about arrogance & a few things to say about hypocrisy; a few of them being the following:
“All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and all who humble themselves will be exalted … Truly I tell you, unless you change and become again like little children, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Whoever becomes humble like this young child is the greatest in the Kingdom” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 23:12 + Matthew 18:3-4)
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own? … You hypocrite! First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to identify the speck in your neighbor’s.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 7:1-5)
“When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, ‘Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.’ And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you.” ~ John 8:7-11
“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in Heaven.” ~ Jesus Christ (Matthew 6:1)
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