Unless you understand the depravity that is in humankind, in each human soul including your own, you will never understand your need for a savior.
It's easy to look at those who don't follow Jesus and apply that judgment onto them, or even to the "not-so-great Christians" that I see in the world. But so often I need to pray that God opens my eyes to see my own sins, to show me that I am also in that category of humankind instead of placing myself at a station above them.
Because when I am desensitized to my own brokenness and the fact that no matter what I do, I always fall short, I feel like I don't need God. Or I tell myself that I do, but I don't really understand what that means.
But when I am broken before the Lord and I'm aware of the ugliness that's in my soul, I can't help but be amazed and grateful for what He did: that He came and saved us while we were still sinners.
Someone might be willing to die for a good man. But no one wants to die for a wicked man. Crazy thing is, that's exactly what Christ did. [Romans 5:6-8] Unless I can see that I deserve hell just as much as that person who murders, steals, and destroys, I'll never begin to grasp how incredible and unbelievable it was that a Holy and Perfect God would die for someone so unworthy like me.
Lord, I'm praying that you help me to see who I am compared to you: "that [I am] more wicked than [I] ever dared believe, but more loved and accepted in Christ than [I] ever dared hope." [Timothy Keller]
On a last note: If I can see that I am no better than anyone around me (because in the light of God's Holiness, we are all hopeless and stained by sin), my attitude toward all people will change. I am no better than anyone, only more aware (God's doing, not my own) of the grace that is poured out on us.
Here's my favorite song; it often reminds me of the truth:
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