The Pharisee was standing and praying like this about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I’m not like other people — greedy, unrighteous, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of everything I get.’ “But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even raise his eyes to heaven but kept striking his chest and saying, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner! ’ (Luke 18:11-13 CSB)
Jesus
tells a parable in Matthew 20 about a landowner hiring workers to tend
his vineyard. Some start in the morning, some work a half-day, and some
work only a couple of hours or so. All the workers are paid the same
day’s wage, regardless when they started. The full-day workers are
indignant at this, and the landowner responds with a haunting question:
“Are you jealous because I’m
generous?” I am thankful for the times when I am struck by how much like
the full-day workers I am (“let the righteous one strike me, it is an
act of faithful love,” Psalm 141:5). The Holy Spirit shows me in these
times how unlike Him I am, and I am always thankful. We sinners make
terrible, terrifying gods; He alone is God and He alone is good.
The discomfort of being like some and unlike others reminded me of the tax collector’s prayer in Luke 18. There, Jesus contrasts the arrogant self-assuredness of the unjustified Pharisee with the humble, penitent contrition of the justified publican. What if the Pharisee prayed righteously, as Jesus would have him? What would that sound like?
The Pharisee closed the door in his house and fell on his
face, praying like this:
“God, I thank You that You’re not like
me––greedy, unrighteous, lustful, and especially not hateful and
arrogant like the deep, crimson stains of my hypocritical heart. I thank
You that You give grace to all––even to that tax collector over there.
“You don’t need my fasts or tithes; You own the cattle on the
thousand hills, so I can’t pretend to give something to You as though
You would owe me. You desire mercy, not the empty, heartless ritual of
man-pleasing religion.
“I couldn’t help but see the tears of that tax collector and overhear
his prayer to You. I can’t think of a better way to come to You. I am
such a sinner––much worse than anyone I know! I know I don’t deserve it,
but please show me mercy!”