“And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for everyone that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14
A religious man or woman does not always equal a godly man or woman. I believe the greatest lessons we can learn about ourselves come from the tough questions we ask ourselves. We sometimes have a distorted view of ourselves because we refuse to examine our own heart yet we will look through a magnifying glass at the lives of those around us. In this parable the Lord Jesus pulls back the veil of the self-righteous and religious and reveals their love for themselves and their attitude towards those around them. Their life is a show built upon self and all that they supposedly have done.
Notice how the Pharisee is quick to let God and those who are in the temple know his good deeds, he says,” I fast” and “I give tithes.” Don’t miss how his prayer insults the man beside him. Consider the posture of the two. The Pharisee stands proudly as he presents his prayer for all to hear. The publican (or tax collector) is standing away from others and won’t even look towards heavens direction. He doesn’t come looking to impress God and man. He comes as a man broken before God asking God to be merciful to him a sinner. Look at the blessing from God for the humble and broken hearted publican. Jesus said, “I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” The Pharisee thought so highly of himself that he couldn’t see the sin of pride within his own heart. He was high minded and far sighted.
There are two attitudes we can choose from today, humble before God and exalted by Him or highly exalted by ourselves and eventually humbled by God. Which posture will you choose?
Luke 18:9-14
A religious man or woman does not always equal a godly man or woman. I believe the greatest lessons we can learn about ourselves come from the tough questions we ask ourselves. We sometimes have a distorted view of ourselves because we refuse to examine our own heart yet we will look through a magnifying glass at the lives of those around us. In this parable the Lord Jesus pulls back the veil of the self-righteous and religious and reveals their love for themselves and their attitude towards those around them. Their life is a show built upon self and all that they supposedly have done.
Notice how the Pharisee is quick to let God and those who are in the temple know his good deeds, he says,” I fast” and “I give tithes.” Don’t miss how his prayer insults the man beside him. Consider the posture of the two. The Pharisee stands proudly as he presents his prayer for all to hear. The publican (or tax collector) is standing away from others and won’t even look towards heavens direction. He doesn’t come looking to impress God and man. He comes as a man broken before God asking God to be merciful to him a sinner. Look at the blessing from God for the humble and broken hearted publican. Jesus said, “I tell you this man went down to his house justified rather than the other.” The Pharisee thought so highly of himself that he couldn’t see the sin of pride within his own heart. He was high minded and far sighted.
There are two attitudes we can choose from today, humble before God and exalted by Him or highly exalted by ourselves and eventually humbled by God. Which posture will you choose?
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