And He said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. (Luke 16:15)

God’s View

Success in the mind of man is measured by the greatness of human wisdom, accolades of praise from others, and the monetary worth of the individual. A man who achieves the highest level of accomplishment in the educational world is considered a great man with a higher level of knowledge. The world has always had its heroes: athletes, actors and actresses, musicians, and superstars. Men and women of great wealth are vaunted in the world as great industry leaders whose wisdom is sought. Cities, buildings, parks, schools, and memorials are named after great leaders in every field of human wisdom—men like to esteem others for their accomplishments.

There is value in success, and honor should be accepted for the diligence of industry in accomplishing great feats in life. The reality is that what men lift up as great accomplishments do not impress the Creator of the world. What great feat has humanity accomplished since its beginning that can rival the work of God? A great man can lead a nation to prominence from a historical point of view, but how long does that last? Alexander III of Macedon is remembered as Alexander the Great. Hundreds of monarchs, aristocrats, military leaders, and Christian leaders were labeled “the Great.” Who is really the greatest? It is not man.

Jesus was despised by the Jewish leadership of His day. They derided the man from Nazareth as nothing more than a carpenter’s son. The Pharisees were lovers of money, which gave them a false sense of superiority over others. They felt empowered over men like Jesus of Nazareth. Their justification was found in how men held them in esteem, granting them great powers. In the eyes of God, they were fools. God knew their hearts. It did not matter what men saw on the outside. What matters is what God sees and knows. The Pharisees appeared righteous in public, but God knew their hearts. Jesus reminds them what the world honors is detestable in the sight of God. 

The great tragedy of the human story is when men seek to attain fame and fortune to be successful; they make themselves fools before the Almighty God. There is nothing that humanity can match for the power and majesty of the Lord God. Who makes the sunrise and paints the sunsets but God? The universe is a drop in the bucket in the presence of God. Man is nothing but a speck of dust, and this atomic particle of dirt exalts itself as something great? God sees the heart and is comforted when the heart humbles itself before Him. A small child who believes in God is greater than the wisest man among men because she loves God. If a man wants to be exalted, let him allow God to exalt him. What is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. It comes down to whose viewpoint is followed.