Be merciful

Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat 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 who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” – Luke 18.10-14

There were two men praying in the temple. They could not have been more different. One was a proper religious fella with his fancy robes and looking very proper. He was a master of the Law and surely if anyone belonged there it was him.

The other guy was a tax collector, hated and despised by the people - the lowest of the low in people’s eyes. What was he doing there?

They were both there to pray, but what different prayers.

The Pharisee:
God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.

The tax collector:
God, me merciful to me a sinner

I don’t think there could be two more different prayers!

The religious was sure that his religion would get him inot heaven. He did everything right and was proud of. He laid out all of his merits as his case to God thinking his justification could come about because of what he had done.

The tax collector knew that there was no hope. He knew he didn’t deserve it. All he could do was cry out ‘God be merciful to me a sinner.’ He threw himself on the mercy of God.

Which was was justified? It was the man who humbled himself. He was the one who would be lifted up. The Pharisee got nothing because he missed the fact that no matter how good he was he would fall short of the glory of God.

We all fail to be god enough. We can’t please a perfect God so all we can do is call on His mercy.