“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.“ – Luke 18:13
Two approaches to prayer. | WATCH ON YOUTUBE
In this parable, there are two men praying. But their prayers and attitudes are distinctly different. The Pharisee prayed, not to God, but to himself. His short prayer had more ‘I’ than any other word. He praises himself and compares himself to others and gives a list of his many deeds. The Pharisee was full of himself and had no room in his prayer for anyone else, even God.
The tax collector, however, approached God in prayer, not on his own merit but based on who God is. He didn’t say, ‘God, be merciful to me, I’m not a Pharisee or because I am a repentant sinner.’ He did not justify himself saying he was only human or that he will try to be better. He simply prayed, praying body, soul, and spirit, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”
The Pharisee relied on his own power and deeds before God and tried to impress God with his many words. But the tax collector relied on the mercy and compassion of God, barely having words to express himself. The Pharisee thought he was not like other men; that he was better than them. The tax collector also thought that he was not like other men; that he was worse than them.
The Pharisee saw prayer and his spiritual life as a way to be exalted, but the tax collector approached God in humility. The Bible says, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble (James 4:6).
What is your attitude in prayer?
Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner!
Extended Reading – Luke 17:11-37; Luke 18:1-14
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Thank you for covering this so thoroughly. It helped me a lot.
Thank you for putting this in a way that anyone can understand.