The Burden of Self-righteousness

The Burden of self-righteousness
(I am better than He)  
It is said that everyone in Africa needs God at one time or another. Either to uphold a poorly maintained aircraft or to hold the car tyres together while  a poorly trained driver is speeding over series of pot-holes on a strategic Federal Highway.  
If you have ever been to barber who solely depends on government power supply in Nigeria, then you’d sure have asked for God’s help before!   Once I went to the barber’s just as power was restored. I finished the haircut and by the time I got back home the power was gone again. Another day in the university, just as power was restored, I ran to be the 1st at the barber’s. In the course of the cut, the power went off! It was  about 10pm.
Ever got a half haircut before?
At 5am, I was the one who woke the barber up when power was restored.  
When we approach God for such favours as a complete haircut, we are often reminded of how soiled our own hands are! It helps us remember that it is by God’s mercy that we get God’s help.  
Once in a while we however do not get everything we desire; like getting a half haircut.   Such times we look around and  see others, often “less qualified”, getting those same things we desired!
They may have stolen, cheated in exams, extorted bribes, falsified documents at one time or the other, in situations in which  we proved to be of superior stock.  
At such times, we tend to approach God with  a question: “Why him, and not me? Afterall . . . ”     And we view the “lucky person” as a Gate-crasher.  
We oftèn get angry with God, and bitter with friends…  
We pick up unnecessary burdens of anger, bitterness and eventually, guilt!
We need to always remember that we cannot earn God’s help by our goodness (self-righteousness); we  get His help by His mercy and grace!