But the tax collector ... 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.
—Luke 18:13b- 14
If you’ve been a Christian a long time, you’re probably familiar with the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. You may even roll your eyes in disgust when you read the Pharisee’s prayer— “Thank you that I am not like these evildoers. ...” By the time the Pharisee starts listing all his good deeds, you might be ready to throttle him. Doesn’t he know how self-righteous he is? Doesn’t he know that God is more pleased with people like the tax collector?
These are natural reactions, but maybe we ought to slow down before berating the Pharisee too much. Most Christians try to be as humble, kind, and generous as possible. Most of us also acknowledge our sins, because they are what we count on Jesus to save us from. That said, we all have self-righteous moments, don’t we? It’s easy to look at the “tax collectors” in our lives and think, “Okay, I sin, but at least I don’t do that.”
This parable reminds us that no one sin is greater than the other in Jesus’ eyes, and sometimes sin can masquerade as goodness or religion. Jesus also tells this parable to remind us that the person who is honest about his or her faults and approaches God with a contrite heart is the one who goes home forgiven. The good news is, anyone can be this person. Even if you were a “Pharisee” before meeting Christ or have self-righteous tendencies, you can always ask for mercy. Better than that, God is always ready to give it.
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