The Storyteller: The Pharisee and the Tax Collector day 3

Lord, Thank You for Sharing

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. Luke 18:10 Dr. Kenneth Bailey translation

Lord, thank you for sharing this parable. It is a wonderful lesson. You see, some people are proud of themselves. They’re proud of their faith, their righteous acts of service, their Christian maturity, their congregation. They’re proud of the view that they’re more accepted by You than other, less mature, believers. They’re confident that they’re much better than people who don’t follow you, or worse yet, commit blatant crimes.

They really need to hear this parable Lord. But, thankfully, it’s not one I really need to focus on. You see, I’ve carefully constructed this façade of humility. I would never pray to you like the Pharisee did. I can do anything I put my mind to, even appear humble.

Until, by your grace, you bring up the pervasive and ever so subtle pride in my heart. It’s like a foul river running deep beneath the surface of my soul. Then I begin to see that when I come into your presence Lord, I can’t stand, I can’t sit, I can’t breathe. My sin is before me and all I can do is pray. “Lord, have mercy on me – a sinner.”