Glory to God, but how often in heart, even if momentary, is something else the supreme object of our spiritual affection and or allegiance, and or source of security?
Jesus taught in parables for a reason; so we try to put things side-by-side for comparison as well.
Near the end of this book The Harbinger, author Jonathan Cahn shares a sobering reminder. Here his fictional "prophet" gives Nouriel, the main character, a good lesson on the nature of evil:
“And who is evil?”
“Those who kill, who deceive, who steal, those who hurt and abuse others.”...
“And what about you, Nouriel? Do you fit into any of those categories?”
"No."
“No,” he replied, “you wouldn’t. But remember, ‘All the ways of a man are right in his own eyes.’ It’s from the Book of Proverbs. That’s human nature.... Beware of the good Nazi.”
“The good Nazi? And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“The Nazis sent millions to their deaths out of pure hatred and evil....And yet do you think most of them saw themselves as evil?”
"No."
“And why not?... Because they compared themselves and measured themselves by the standards they themselves create....
You can never judge yourself by your own standards and your own righteousness, but only in light of His righteousness.” [pp.228-229]