I'm glad I'm not like them

Self-righteousness is not easily identifiable, at least not to the subject. The reason it is not easily identifiable is because of the deceptive nature that can result because of the interplay between our will and our observation. One can after all only see what one wants to see. Take as an example the story about the Sunday School teacher who taught the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax collector. The teacher recounted about these two men who went to pray. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself, while the tax collector humbly sought mercy. Jesus told his onlookers those described as confident of their own judgment that it was the tax collector who went home justified. After finishing the lesson the teacher looked at her children and said, now let us be thankful that we are not like that Pharisee. The Sunday School teacher did not realize that she was doing the very thing the Pharisee had done. Aren’t you glad you are not like that Sunday School teacher! People have a great susceptibility to deception not only from others but from oneself. A hallmark of self-righteousness is that one’s own standing is fixed in relation to someone else’s. To move up someone else has to move down. This delusional approach deprives one of joy, for who knows who might come along and displace me. There is no joy, that can be displaced. I'm glad I'm not like that.