I have been thinking about the verses in Matthew 22 where Jesus spoke about those who were bidden to a wedding but would not come. They all had excuses. Then, at the wedding, one of the guests who came after the second invitation did not have on a wedding garment. The thing we really need to be wearing as a wedding garment is a good spirit. So there are two things for which we are responsible. One: We should never make excuses, rather we should do the right thing when we are asked to do it. Two: It is not enough just to do the right thing. If we are doing the right thing, but with the wrong spirit, we are every bit as much worthy of punishment.
Then, I thought of the verses in Luke 14 where Jesus tells people to always take the lowest place. The best way to assure that we will have the lowest place is to take the high place. If we take the high place, we are wrong. “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Finally, there are some verses in Luke 16 where the Pharisees derided Jesus. He responded by telling them that answering back to the things for which Jesus admonished them by trying to justify themselves was an abomination to God. God knows our hearts and does not want us to respond to admonition by trying to justify ourselves; rather he wants us acknowledge our state and repent.
I know I am not innocent of these things.