There is so much more to gain

This week there was a lot of chastisement of the Pharisees in these chapters. 

In Matthew chapter 23 Christ chastises the Pharisees for caring more about what others think. They were truly man fearing rather than God fearing. Yes, recognition for the things that we do good should be given, but seeking it out can destroy our souls. We live in a world where gratification is demanded, where it shameful to be greedy but not to be entirely focused on one self. We live in a very selfish world. 

To be honest I kinda thought when I was younger, when "the sign of the times," started becoming signs, that it would be because of wars between countries. But in fact it has become war with our selves. 

The more I read from the old testament this time round I can see more clearly the need to be humble.

Christ in chapter 23 of Matthew, cries repentance to them, calling them 'Hypocrites'. He teaches that humility is a greater quality to possess than the items and objects that pride require of people. I particularly love these verses:
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
12  whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.

The Lord is exalted by us, but because of his humility.  
No one is our "father" but our Heavenly Father, no one our master but our savior Jesus Christ. These things that we must remember are crucial to our progression and exaltation. We must remember that humility leads our souls to peace. We are asked to be Christ-like. To be servants to others, but in the sense that we would serve them as our Master would.
Yes, we shouldn't care what others think but the natural man and the adversary think differently. As simple contentions arise, we find ourselves to be stuck in a loop of constant self-centeredness. 
The cure is Christ but we all have to work to become the cure our selves, to become Christ-like. 
He becomes our template to knowing how to over come and how to see past our mortal view. I think we sometimes blind ourselves to what Christ can show us. We do it to ourselves. Humility in combination with trust in the Lord allows us to take of the blinders and see the pattern Christ has set for us to follow. 

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