The Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Part 2)
Luke 18:9-14 9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody 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 up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men–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 everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Truth #2 Pride erases the good deeds of the Pharisee. Humility erases the bad deeds of the Tax Collector.
This is an amazing insight for me. The Pharisee is doing all the right things outwardly. He is more diligent in religion and more consistent than I have ever been. I have never fasted twice a week on a regular basis. On the surface the things the Pharisee is doing are good…the kind of guy you want leading a small group or serving as an elder….but his pride ruins the whole thing. Because he is proud all the good things he is doing is erased in God’s eyes. What a scary thought…..James tells us that Pride makes God turn against us. Pride makes God our enemy.
It is actually ironic that the Pharisee is thanking God for what he is while God cannot stand the stench of him. Pride always comes with self deception. There are several brands of pride (Self centeredness, self promotion, self reliance) but the Pharisee’s brand was self righteousness. This comes from the belief that a person can generate(Self) rightness with God (Righteousness.) God hates self righteousness because it steals the glory from Him. And when we are self righteous, we do religious things, but God hates all of them. The religious things we do actually become the barrier between us and God…which is where the Pharisee is in the parable…
On the other hand we have the Tax Collector. He is doing all the wrong things. Stealing from his own people, serving and selling out to the Roman Empire…this guy is going the wrong things. But his heart is precious to God….he has humility. Humility erases the evil things we do as fast as pride erases the good. Humility invited God’s mercy. God is a friend to the humble. This is a guy you would not want in your small group, yet he is justified before God because of humility. God loves humility because it gives Him glory. Humility throws itself on the character and kindness of God.
Prayer for humility
“I beg that of Your great goodness You would make known to me, and take from my heart, every kind and form and degree of Pride, whether it be from evil spirits, or my own corrupt nature; and that You would awaken in me the deepest depth and truth of that Humility, which can make me capable of Your light and Your Holy Spirit.”
