I don’t know if you are like me, but it really gets my goat, so to speak, when I am around someone who acts like they are a step above everyone else.
More virtuous. More spiritual. More worthy.
Apparently, Jesus must have felt the same way because listen to this!
Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else.
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer. “I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For… I don’t sin…”
But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying “O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.” I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.”
“I don’t sin.”
I scoff at the puffed-up Pharisee. I see him, in his fancy, tasseled attire, looking down on the others who pass him on the street. His nose lifts a little higher as he sees commoners paying him homage. My temper rises at the arrogance I hear in his voice. How could he be so bold as to actually say such words out loud? And to the God of heaven, no less? My gut clenches, and my breath comes out in a little snort. I despise this man’s self-righteous attitude.
I’m glad I’m not like him!
My words startle me. They carry the exact sentiments that set my teeth on edge when listening to the Pharisee’s prayer.
And in that moment the ground levels. Upon hearing the Pharisee’s words on my own lips, the fire dies from my belly and my eyes drop to my toes.
“Oh God, forgive me. Be merciful to me a sinner,” I whisper.
When I realize how quickly my heart gravitates toward evil it unsettles me. No matter how hard I try, no matter what good things I do or bad things I don’t do, I still fail to live up to Jesus’ standard of righteousness. Even my best efforts produce, at best, a false sense of righteousness. I am, after all, a sinner.
Seeing myself as I truly am, I become like the tax collector.
I stand at a distance, eyes to the ground, hesitant to approach the throne of God. I am a sinner. I am not worthy to come asking for anything- not even forgiveness.
But then grace steps in.
When I am too ashamed to lift my eyes because I have been caught in the Pharisee’s sin, the soft voice of the Spirit of Jesus offers me His gentle persuasive grace. His gift of undeserved, unearnable favor, grants me forgiveness while at the same time, He encourages me to follow more closely behind Him.
His grace gives me the courage to take His offer of love and forgiveness. And His grace declares me righteous. He alone has made me worthy of all that He offers.
I take a deep breath, straighten my shoulders, and lift my eyes to the skies.
I smile and then turn my steps toward home.
Because of grace, I can go home justified.