Revcort's Ramblings

Scripture Reading:

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you.”
— Matthew 11:21-22 (ESV)

“No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”
— Luke 13:3, 5 (ESV)

Devotional Thought

Jesus’ words to Chorazin, Bethsaida, and later to those in Jerusalem cut to the heart of a dangerous assumption: that some sins are worse than others—and therefore, that some people are worse than others. His audience would have been shocked to hear that pagan cities like Tyre, Sidon, and even Sodom might fare better in judgment than God’s own covenant people. But Jesus makes clear that privilege brings responsibility. To have seen His miracles, to have heard His teaching, and yet to remain unrepentant was a greater offense than ignorance.

In Luke 13, the same theme continues. When tragedy struck—Galileans killed by Pilate, or Jerusalemites crushed by a falling tower—people assumed those victims were somehow worse sinners. Jesus dismantles that thinking: “Do you think they were worse than you? No… unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” The call of God is not to compare, but to confess. Judgment is not graded on a curve. God will not line us up beside Hitler or Charles Manson and see who comes out looking better. The only standard is the holiness of Christ—and all fall short.

Repentance, then, is not punishment; it is mercy. It is the doorway into grace. To repent is to agree with God about your sin and to turn toward His saving love in Christ. Comparison blinds us to our need; confession opens our eyes to His compassion. Those who humble themselves find forgiveness. Those who justify themselves stand condemned.

Reflection Questions

1. Do you ever find comfort in thinking you’re “not as bad” as someone else?
2. What would genuine repentance look like in your life this week?
3. How can you remind yourself that salvation is a gift, not a comparison?

Closing Prayer

Father, forgive me for the times I’ve measured myself by others instead of by Your truth. Strip away my pride and self-righteousness. Give me a heart that grieves over sin and rejoices in grace. Help me live in daily repentance, trusting not in my goodness, but in Christ’s righteousness alone. Amen.