March 15

The Lord looketh on the heart. — 1 SAM xvi. 7.

Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. — LUKE xvi. 15.

"JUSTIFY yourselves:" that is, pass yourselves off as righteous. Pretended righteousness often deceives men, and the pretender is able to win on their esteem. But such a man is an "abomination in the sight of God."

How easy to justify ourselves before men! for "man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." And how difficult to justify ourselves before God! I was once resting on my oars on Lake George. Glancing over the gunwale of my boat, I found that I could look through the crystal water for at least fifty feet, to the bottom of the lake, and I could see stones, trunks of fallen trees, and the fish darting through the water hither and thither. So God looks into our hearts. His eyes search out every secret thing, whether it be good or bad. Then let us pray, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me."

A pretence of righteousness is not righteousness. It was the publican who went down to his house "justified" after prayer, and not the man who piously thanked God that he was a model of observance of religious and ethical proprieties.


Spirit of purity and grace, Our weakness pitying see; Oh, make our hearts thy dwelling-place, And worthier thee!

HARRIET AUBER.