Me: Howdy, Prodigal! Who do you have with you today?
Prodigal: I have two of my friends and they did want to hear a story from you!
Me: I have a story about two men and Jesus.
Michael Griffiths writes about a passage in Luke.
Jesus told a story that illustrates this beautifully: Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: “God, I thank you that I am not like other men-robbers, evildoers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.”
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:10-14)
The Bible says that the tax collector went home justified before God. So does God justify a bad man, but reject a good man? The key is to ask very simply, “Who is trusting whom?” The Pharisee’s religion is reminiscent of what we sometimes rather rudely call “public school religion.” If you lead a decent life and are a decent, nice person, then God, Who is also a nice, decent Person, will accept you.
That Pharisee was trusting in his own good character. Clearly, he was not really trusting in God, even though he prayed to Him. Instead, he was trusting in himself.
Listen now to the other man: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner,” Who is this man trusting in? He cannot trust in his own character–he knows he is a sinner. He cannot trust in his own worthy actions–he has sinned. He puts all his confidence, therefore, in the character and actions of God. God is a God Whose character is merciful, Who has mercy upon sinners.
O God let me not trust in myself at this time but put all my trust in you.
Have Faith in God
Mark 11:22
Jennifer Van Allen
www.theprodigalpig.com
www.faithincounseling.org
