It may be overcast today, as some rainy weather is headed our way, but it is beautiful, none the less. The beauty of autumn is everywhere. Thank You, Father, for the multifaceted splendor of Your creation!
Luke 18:9-14 (<<click here to read the passage)
Isn’t this world a mess? There are so many who just do what they want to do. No one call tell them any different, because they know what is best for them and for you, too! And what is truly tragic is that this mentality is not just one you will find out and about in our everyday world, it is also rampant in the church!
I crossed paths with a dear friend yesterday and we had the opportunity to catch up just a bit. One thing we talked about was how neither of us read or listen to all the junk out there on social media – especially in the areas of politics and people’s response to COVID-19 and all that goes along with that!
One simply cannot post an opinion or support a view without being inundated with some kind of opposition. And a good part of it is nasty! Unkind things. Hurtful things. Things we shouldn’t think, much less say and God forbid that we would put it out there on social media for all the world to see…keeping in mind that what is put out there will always be out there…somewhere.
Jesus shared a parable about two men who had gone to the temple to pray – a Pharisee (a very well-versed teacher of God’s Law) and a tax collector (a thieving despised sell-out to the Romans if there ever was one!)
Here are the words Jesus used about the Pharisee:
…people who trusted in themselves…
…posing outwardly as upright and in right standing with God…
He began praying to himself in a self-righteous way…
Now that statement there really gets me! To whom are we supposed to pray? My answer would be God but, no, this “expert” in God’s Law began praying to himself!
There wasn’t an ounce of humility. There was no repentance. The Amplified Bible uses the word ostentatiously to describe how he stood to pray. The Cambridge Dictionary defines it as doing something in a way that is very obvious and is an attempt to make people notice you. It was all about him and how good he saw himself as being. As Jesus said this man trusted in himself and honestly believed he was righteous.
But then, how did Jesus reference the tax collector?
He didn’t stand so everyone could see and hear him, he stood at a distance…
He wouldn’t even raise his eyes toward heaven…
He struck his chest [in humility and repentance]…
He pleads for God’s mercy and grace.
He admitted he was an [especially wicked] sinner…
Many of us like to believe that we know it all and loudly (and often obnoxiously!) proclaim our opinions and no one is going to change our minds. We are the end-all and anyone who believes otherwise is flat out wrong!
Lord Jesus, may we be as the tax collector, for you said of him,
…this man went to his home justified [forgiven of the guilt of sin and placed in right standing with God] rather than the other man; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself [forsaking self-righteous pride] will be exalted.” v14 AMP
Amen…
Oct 15th, 2020, Thurs, 1:10 pm
