Daily Bread Luke 18
Daily Bread Luke 18 (The Message)
The Story of the Tax Man and the Pharisee
9-12He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
13"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
14Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
Observation:
I like reading the Message translation because it gives me a different take on bible stories I have read many times. This passage shows how sometimes our spirituality can lead to superficiality. Sometimes our spirituality can lead to snobbery. Sometimes our spirituality can lead to a sense of superiority. These are all opposite of the attitudes these disciplines are meant to create in us.
At the heart of anything we do “for God” is the realization that the tax man had and uttered, “God, give me mercy, forgive me a sinner”. As we come to this place in our lives where we realize, “If not for the grace of God, there go I”, we are in a place where God can use us to lead others to His mercy and grace.
If we are going to compare ourselves to anyone, it should be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the model we look to exemplify. When we start comparing and getting smug about our spiritual lives, we need to remember the humility which marked Jesus’ whole life right up until the end when he uttered, “Father forgive them they know not what they do.”
Application:
Which person can you identify more with, the tax man or the Pharisee? Once one becomes a Christian there is always a temptation to become like a Pharisee by judging others and using our spirituality to puff up ourselves before others. I don’t know about you, but I am always drawn to others by their humility, vulnerability and ability to admit where they are wrong, rather than to brag about where they are right.
Spend some time reflecting on the humility of our Lord Jesus, who stepped out of heaven to live among us to become a servant, even unto death. And God exalted him to the highest place. May our model for true greatness come from him and not the world!
Prayer: Make me a servant God. Humble me to realize that I am sinner and need your grace and mercy as much as anyone else. From that position teach me to offer my life back to you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you, which is my reasonable act of worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
The Story of the Tax Man and the Pharisee
9-12He told his next story to some who were complacently pleased with themselves over their moral performance and looked down their noses at the common people: "Two men went up to the Temple to pray, one a Pharisee, the other a tax man. The Pharisee posed and prayed like this: 'Oh, God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, crooks, adulterers, or, heaven forbid, like this tax man. I fast twice a week and tithe on all my income.'
13"Meanwhile the tax man, slumped in the shadows, his face in his hands, not daring to look up, said, 'God, give mercy. Forgive me, a sinner.'"
14Jesus commented, "This tax man, not the other, went home made right with God. If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face, but if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."
Observation:
I like reading the Message translation because it gives me a different take on bible stories I have read many times. This passage shows how sometimes our spirituality can lead to superficiality. Sometimes our spirituality can lead to snobbery. Sometimes our spirituality can lead to a sense of superiority. These are all opposite of the attitudes these disciplines are meant to create in us.
At the heart of anything we do “for God” is the realization that the tax man had and uttered, “God, give me mercy, forgive me a sinner”. As we come to this place in our lives where we realize, “If not for the grace of God, there go I”, we are in a place where God can use us to lead others to His mercy and grace.
If we are going to compare ourselves to anyone, it should be to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is the model we look to exemplify. When we start comparing and getting smug about our spiritual lives, we need to remember the humility which marked Jesus’ whole life right up until the end when he uttered, “Father forgive them they know not what they do.”
Application:
Which person can you identify more with, the tax man or the Pharisee? Once one becomes a Christian there is always a temptation to become like a Pharisee by judging others and using our spirituality to puff up ourselves before others. I don’t know about you, but I am always drawn to others by their humility, vulnerability and ability to admit where they are wrong, rather than to brag about where they are right.
Spend some time reflecting on the humility of our Lord Jesus, who stepped out of heaven to live among us to become a servant, even unto death. And God exalted him to the highest place. May our model for true greatness come from him and not the world!
Prayer: Make me a servant God. Humble me to realize that I am sinner and need your grace and mercy as much as anyone else. From that position teach me to offer my life back to you as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you, which is my reasonable act of worship. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Comments
Post a Comment