Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: “Two men went up to the temple top 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.”
Years ago my father had an elder in his church named Mr. Iker. Mr. Iker had been in that particular church forever – and had been an elder since before my father arrived as pastor. Mr. Iker was in church every time the doors were open, but he came to church alone. He was married, but no one ever saw his wife.
In those days my father’s church had a weekly prayer meeting on Wednesday nights. These prayer meetings were attended by only 30 people or so – but Mr. Iker was always one of them. My brother and I were in college at the time and didn’t often attend these prayer meetings – but when we did, we did so partly to hear Mr. Iker pray. I know it sounds terrible – but it really was a kind of “prayer spectacle” that is hard to describe. Mr. Iker would wait until almost the end of the prayer meeting, after others had all had the chance to pray, then he would clear his throat and launch into a long and very holy sounding prayer – almost always focused on his wife. It would go something like this:
“O God, thou knowest all things Lord, and thou knowest all I have been through with the woman you gave me as wife. Lord, thou knowest that she is sharp of tongue, O Lord, and that her heart is bitter toward me. Thou knowest that she persecutes me for my faith and refuses to worship with me; and thou knowest, O Go, that she often takes too much wine…”
In other words, Mr. Iker had a tendency to use his prayer to confess his wife’s sins. We would listen and think to ourselves, “No wonder the poor woman doesn’t come to church with him!”
Mr. Iker was an “older brother.” Mr. Iker was the Pharisee in Jesus’ story. He saw prayer as an opportunity to remind God of his own righteousness and therefore his right to God’s blessing. As a result, Mr. Iker came to church alone; went home alone; and pretty much lived his life alone – because his pride was insufferable and no one wanted to be near him!
I use Mr. Iker’s story here because it reminds me of part of myself. How easy it is to spend most of my energy justifying myself – my thoughts, my actions, my attitudes – while simultaneously judging those of others!
May God teach me – teach us – to learn to pray like the tax-collector in the story, “God, have mercy on me a sinner!”
Brian Coffey
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5 comments:
First I know I have a lot to work on, and every day deal with the guilt of my sins. As I do more for others, help others in rough times, give them things, I feel better about myself. We have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. So is it wrong to feel good or actually proud that we do things? We don't go around and brag, but when asked we talk about it. So how do we do the moral and right things and helping those in need, but not be to self righteous?
I find myself finding many similarities between what Anonymous said and how I feel. In my case I find it difficult sometimes to distinguish between self righteousness and pride. I know that God wants us to be humble and to give without expecting anything in return. So in my prayers I thank God for all the blessings He has given me, and for the opportunity to be able to help those who are not as fortunate as me. I am nowhere near perfect and feel like God still has a lot to do in my life. When I have doubts about what to do I find myself drawn to Matthew 6:1-6 where it reads: “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. 5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you." I hope this helps, and that God continues showering your life with blessings so that you can continue helping those in need.
Thanks Alberto; This puts a different perspective on things. I will try to keep these passages in mind. What is hard for me is to know the difference between wanting to let others know that they can help and do some things and it not cost too much money or time, and bragging. That is why unless others ask, we don't go and tell others. This is also what is keeps us from asking for sponsors when we do charity work, except for family and close friends, but then some times its hard. Some relatives worry that we are giving them and others too much and deprive ourselves of things, but we assure them that we don't. Thanks again.
Blessings anonymous. I am touched when I read about your so familiar struggles. Your efforts serve as a testimony to those that witness the sacrifices you have made for the less fortunate, and God is glorified through your actions. You just have to trust that the same way that God has touched your heart to help those in need, God will touch others to do the same. Your family is in my thoughts and prayers.
Wow! I'm the middle child that later in life has spent a lot of energy justifying myself trying to prove that I took better care of and loved my parents more, while simultaneously judging my siblings motives and actions for their treatment and amount of involvement with the care of our elder parents. Thank you for helping me to see how I was really judging them and how this can and did drive a wedge between us. Thank God for His mercy and that He helps me to learn and grow. I thank God that I now have regained wonderful relationships with most of my siblings after my parents passing, but still need His help and wisdom to repair relationships with the rest.
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