A Subtle Reminder
Luke 18: 9-14.
For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted. (Luke 18:4b.)
Occasionally we need reminders of how we are to live our lives. When everything is going our way we can so easily develop a sense of self reliance and superiority. We pat ourselves on the back and say, “what a good job!” When such success becomes an overpowering feeling of security and accomplishment; it is then that we often look down our noses at others whose goals have paled in comparison. We brag, and in our smugness put down others as thought they were unworthy people, individuals for whom we fail to have any respect or consideration.
On November 11, 2007 Rev. Scott Ramsey, the interim pastor at North Church, delivered a sermon based on the scripture passage above. I have preached using that same text myself. But on this particular day, I heard a message that went beyond the words utter by Rev. Ramsey, a message that went straight o the core of my very being, and brought me to my knees. You see, I had obtained the status of a Pharisee, and now God was humbling me. I needed to learn the value of what it felt like to be a tax collector, despised, hated, spat upon, cursed, abused. I needed to be knocked off my “high horse” of self-praise and made to realize that just because I do all that is expected of me (such grandiose thinking!) does not make me any better than anyone else.
Jesus wasn’t condemning the Pharisee for what he did, but for what he pretended to be. Yes, everything he did fulfilled the Law of Moses. But it was his smugness, his grandiose idea that all of this made him better than a lowly tax collector, who knowingly cheated his fellow Hebrews. But the tax collector knew how sinful he was, and simply asked for mercy.
I remember hearing a story about two men shipwrecked on an island. They decide to live on opposite sides of the island, and each would pray for help. The one man prays to God for help, and finds decent shelter. He prays for food, and he finds fruit-bearing trees and enough equipment to catch fish. He prays for companionship and the next day a woman who fell from a ship is swept ashore by the waves. Finally he prays that they will be rescued, and a ship comes to their assistance. As the man and the woman are ready to depart, God calls down and says: “What about the other man who was also marooned with you?” The man responds to God, “It was my prays you answered. Why should he be saved?” And God reply, “I was about to ignore your prayers when your fellow companioned prayed. It is his prayer that I answered.” What do you mean?” the man asked. “He prayed, “ God responded, “that whatever you prayed for I should provide. It was his prayer that has given you a second chance.”
Too often, like the first man, we take for granted that when our self-centered prayers are answered, it has been our petitions to which God is responding. We fail to realize that God answers unselfish prayers, and frequently we are the beneficiaries of these prayers, while those of our request have been left unanswered.
The Pharisee had only done that which was expected of him; he had no reason to expect partiality from God. Out of his self-justification, God humbled the Pharisee. The tax collector, also had done only what was of expected of him; he expressed remorse for what he had been. Having been humble, God justified the tax collector.
Today God made me humble, that God could justify my humility and make me whole.