I Peter 1:3 says: "In his great mercy he has given us new birth..."

It seems as though the longer I have been a believer, the less I feel the need for his mercy.  I mean, let's face it, I've learned sin management techniques.  I avoid the situations which tempt me to sin.  My dependence upon mercy is reduced as I seek to live a righteous life.  And yet, that is a significant part of his mercy.  As "righteous" as I may at times feel - I am always in need of his mercy.  I think it could be argued that I may be more in need of his mercy the more righteous I feel.

When I begin to believe the lie of my own righteousness (of course I was made righteous by faith in Christ - but somehow begin to feel that after his initial work was done it is up to me to maintain that righteousness) I think that I become like Buzz Lightyear int he movie Toy Story.  When Woody seeks to convince him (Buzz) that he is just a toy, Buzz responds "You are a strange little man, and you have my pity."  Yet is was Buzz who had it wrong.  (A fact he discovers later in the movie.)

God is perhaps most merciful towards me when I get a little full of myself!   SMJ