Today, I chased a Pharisee. In the pursuit of this despicable person, I called out for others to join me in my chase. They came running willingly fists raised in rage and shouting in unison. The fervor of the pursuing crowd propelled me on.

After a long and exhausting run, I finally caught the Pharisee. At the point of capture, I held the broken law of God in one hand and my stone of self-righteous judgment in the other. As I raised my stone to crush the sin out of this offender he turned his face toward me. As our faces met, I realized the Pharisee was not a stranger, he was me.

In our pursuit of all things unrighteous we are in essence pursuing ourselves. For within each of us lives a Pharisee. This Pharisee will never be convinced of the right or wrong of his or her belief through debate or in the fervor of a shouting match on the courthouse steps. The Pharisee will only be transformed when his pursuers see themselves in his face and drop the rocks of their judgment because God has revealed to them there is no difference between the ones they pursue and themselves.