Luke 18:10
“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Self-confident or God-confident?
When I read this parable I am always staggered at the self confidence of the Pharisee. He stood aloof "by himself" - thinking he was so much better than others.
It's a snare to start measuring ourselves against others. The only yardstick we should use is: "How do I measure up against the perfection of Jesus?"
That surely will put us on our face and cause us to pray like the tax collector: "God - be merciful to me, a sinner!"
If I read the Bible and pray and tithe regularly - well, that's not a negative thing. Yet, if I start priding myself in these things, I take my focus from Jesus and place it on myself - just like the Pharisee did.
I am all too quick to point the finger of blame at other "sinners" and exalt my own goodness in comparison.
WRONG!!
Everyday I need to realise I am a child of mercy. Any confidence I have is all on Jesus and His kindness towards me.
Look at life through the lens of The Cross. It puts everything into perspective. It's the great leveller of us all.
My sin put Jesus there. His mercy put me back on my feet.
As the old song says:
"I should have been crucified
I should have suffered and died
I should have hung on that cross in disgrace
But Jesus, God's Son took my place"
Selah
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