Once, as Jesus ate with notorious sinners, He was heavily criticized by the religious. He answered the criticism, explaining “I will have mercy, and not sacrifice.” A righteousness that is self-exalting, ignoring heart flaws while demeaning the outward, obvious flaws of others, is no righteousness at all. This means that you can manage life well, learning and mastering all the behaviors of Christianity. But if this mastery leads you to be critical and condescending toward others, you have missed the most fundamental tenet of Christianity – selfless love. And in missing love, we miss Christ. Who would mock the poor? Who would rejoice at calamity? While not always true, the impoverished usually find poverty because of foolish choices. What do you feel when you observe someone make a foolish choice? Does it anger you? Do you hope they get what they deserve? Do you feel a need to straighten every foolish person out and make sure they understand how dumb they really are? We all need a heavy and regular dose of sitting at the Cross. It is the only place that gives true perspective. At the cross, we find that no matter how well we have figured out life, we are reduced to beggars for mercy. From this vantage point, we are freed to love and extend mercy to the foolish, the poor, and the suffering.