"Truly I say to you that tax collectors and prostitutes will get into the kingdom of God before you (scholars and leaders). For John came to you in the way of righteousness and you did not believe him; but the tax collectors and prostitutes did believe him; and you, seeing this, did not even feel remorse afterward so as to believe him."
This is found in the gospel of Matthew. Matthew had previously been a tax collector so I find it beautiful that he vividly remembered Jesus saying this specific thing. It would have been a moment he held on to the rest of his life.
Having grown up in church and mostly avoided the pitfalls of "public sin", it's easy to keep myself out of the "tax collector and prostitute" category. Do I hold others at bay? Do I keep myself in a "higher" category? Am I beyond all this?
Where have I sold myself? When have I given away something precious for temporal comfort? When have I sacrificed my humanity for things? When has my heart strayed?
Along with the rest, I can only beat my chest and say, "God, be merciful to me, a sinner."
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