Luke 10: 25-37 (TLV)
25 Now a certain Torah lawyer stood up to entrap Yeshua, saying, “Teacher, what should I do to gain eternal life?”
26 Then Yeshua said to him, “What has been written in the Torah? How do you read it?”
27 And he replied, “You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”[e]
28 Yeshua said to him, “You have answered correctly. Do this and you will live.”
29 But wanting to vindicate himself, he said to Yeshua, “Then who is my neighbor?”
30 Yeshua replied, “A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho. He was attacked by robbers, who stripped him and beat him. Then they left, abandoning him as half dead. 31 And by chance, a kohen was going down that road; but when he saw the man, he passed by on the opposite side. 32 Likewise a Levite also, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the opposite side. 33 But a Samaritan who was traveling came upon him; and when he noticed the man, he felt compassion. 34 He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on olive oil and wine. Then setting him on his own animal, he brought him to a lodge for travelers and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[f] and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him. And whatever else you spend, upon my return I will repay you myself.’ 36 Which of these three seems to you a neighbor to the one attacked by robbers?”
37 And he said, “The one who showed mercy to him.”
Then Yeshua said to him, “Go, and you do the same.”
Have you ever known the truth but deceived yourself?
This man received the answer about ETERNAL LIFE from the Messiah and he was so overcome with shame and pride that he missed it.
He HAD to justify and vindicate himself.
The word used as "vindicated" has the connotation of "to show, exhibit, evince, one to be righteous, such as he is and wishes himself to be considered" or something along the lines of judging one to be guiltless.
The answer he received and said about Yeshua's question hit his ears and turned into a judgement.
He, being the foremost expert on himself (supposedly), decided in that moment to become like God and sit in the place of judgement over his own heart.
Who is my neighbor?
He was most probably convicted of not loving his "neighbor" and in an attempt to deceive himself ( and project his righteousness to others) he asked who his neighbor is.
Shame drives us to prove we are good enough, and to justify ourselves.
We operate the same 100%.
Imagine, the Messiah has approached you (and I promise, he has...We just don't always listen to what he is saying). You have asked him about your greatest fear. DEATH.
How do we not die? How do we go on being provided for? How do we go on in life without spiritual, physical, emotional and social death?
But you know the answer.
Instead of trying to justify yourself, just accept the correction.
Humble yourself and ask the Lord to reveal the Truth about who HE says you are.
The Lord God Corrects and chastises those that he loves because he wants us to live life abundantly.
We must learn to separate action from identity.
This week pray and seek the Lord for Wisdom and Discernment.
Pray and ask that we would be Humble enough to receive correction well.
Pray and ask the Lord that he would reveal to you when you are standing in judgement against yourself and others.
Pray and Repent of Sitting on the throne of God and allow him to justify you.
And then, when all is said and done.
“You shall love Adonai your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.”