SCRIPTURE: 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 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.”
- Luke 18:9-14
THOUGHT: As I read this parable, I imagine myself among the crowd. I whisper a question to the woman next to me, "Am I the tax collector or the Pharisee?" She shrugs and starts to process personally the same inquiry. As the Pharisee (a ruling elite in the ancient, Jewish, social order), I approach God pointing out how I'm not like the "other" people, snitching on those who do evil, and reminding God of the religious hoops through which I have jumped: hoops created by my own selfishness and subtle manipulation of helpful spiritual practices (tithing and fasting in this case). As the tax collector, I cannot bring myself to look at God's face. I feel as if I have disappointed my father. The burden of shame and guilt, however, is taken away as the story concludes. The tax collector leaves justified. The justification stems from a humble request for mercy instead of from the effective argument of one's understanding of justice, reason, or right. Jesus ironically redefines justice. He paints the picture of a loving God who freely grants mercy in exchange for honesty and humility.
CHALLENGE: There may be times today where you make a mistake or enter into a disagreement. Seek humility by avoiding the urge to argue your point or expose the other person's wrongness. Reflect upon and/or journal about what happens.
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