A Pharisee Dressed in Tax Collector Clothing?: Another Lesson in Humility

The Lord continues to stop me in my quiet times to further contemplate more passages on pride and humility. This one about the tax collector and the Pharisee was waaaaaay convicting! 😌

 

Back on July 7th, I wrote a blog calling for Jesus-followers to "lament" this ever-rising-issue within our country, which seems to be fulfilling the prophet Isaiah's words about calling good evil and evil good (Isaiah 5:20). 

How do I know this is happening?

Well, for one - I just have to look at the current news (and, by the way, it's not just happening in America)...

Secondly, because we have begun blatantly celebrating the #1 most deadly sin: pride.

And,

Pride always comes before a fall (Proverbs 16:18).

I posted that blog, and it didn't take long, before I received a subtle, but fairly obvious (at least it seemed obvious to me) correction. 

I’m more worried about being like this:

Luke 18:11-14 “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector.’”

See also Romans 14:1-13 “To their own master, servants stand or fall…each of us will give an account of ourselves to God. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.”

Now then, I may have read way more into those words than meant (and I should, without doubt, give the benefit of the doubt), but what I read was this:

"Be careful...your words appear very Pharisaical..."

I particularly felt like the next See-Also-Scripture put an exclamation mark on this opinion, when it alluded to the idea that I seemed to be passing judgment and, therefore, putting a stumbling block in the way of other believers.

No matter what was meant, it caused me to take a look inside my own heart for the proud Pharisee, the humble tax-collector, or the hypocritical judge. 

With this in mind, I am particularly grateful any time I'm invited to examine my motives;

...and with the invitation, I dug into the passage on the Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

Let me quote the entire passage from Luke 18:11-14....

He [Jesus] also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man [the Tax Collector] went down to his house justified, rather than the other [Pharisee]. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The first question that has to be asked is this:

From where does my righteousness come? Really, that question should be phrased "from whom?"

There is, as we know, not one righteous before God,  for we have all sinned and fall short of His glory (Romans 3:23). 

If I claim righteousness by my works, actions, or words (as the Pharisee did), then I have completely twisted the truth of the gospel. 

But Jesus...Right?

We are only justified by His grace as a gift, through the redemption of Jesus (Rom 3:24). 

Humility begins in me when I recognize my complete dependence on Jesus for EVERYTHING...

...and, the recognition that I am NOTHING without Him.

When I show up in the "temple" to pray (metaphorically speaking, for the temple is now my body - I Corinthians 6:19), I better recognize who gives me the right to come boldly before the throne of God's grace (Hebrews 4:16): Jesus Christ crucified, buried, and risen again!

Standing in the shadow of the cross, I know who I am: 

I am (you are) 100% Tax Collector without Jesus.

Yet, it's interesting, because I find in me, that every now and again, I come to the temple to pray, dressed like a Tax Collector, but inside I'm a Pharisee.

(I'm fairly convinced we all do it.)

• It shows up in the attitude with which I express my opinions.
• Sometimes in the way I minister for the Lord (a bit ashamed to say it, but its true, remember I like to pick my area of serving)...
• Sometimes in the way I respond to others with touchiness and/or impatience; self defense and/or self-assertion; with unkind words and, yes, sharp judgments. 
• Sometimes, even in the very act of confessing that "God has done all," self finds a way to take credit (I'm clothed like a tax collector, but the Pharisee certainly lives inside)...

Yep, as Andrew Murray, in his book, "Humility," says:

"Even in the temple, with the words of repentance and praise echoing off the walls, the Pharisee may chime right in, and in thanking God be uplifting and congratulating himself. Pride can dress itself up in the clothing of religion."

• And, sometimes, without really looking inside, it can show up in my hand as a subtle, but sword-wielding, rebuke. 

Now and again, when I least think pride is present (because I look very tax-collector-ish), I need to take a better look inside.

After all - God sees the heart and cares not a whit about appearances!

The Apostle Paul encourages all of us, who are God's chosen people, to "dress ourselves with humility."

Paul says, no matter how you look on the outside, your heart/soul/mind needs to be dressed to match.

The only way that is possible is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

So, may we be neither Pharisee, nor Tax Collector, nor judge, but Jesus from the inside out as we surrender to Him. 

When we do, He will lift us up!

Assignment #5 in the school of humility:

Take a deep look inside. Who shows up in your temple to pray - Tax Collector? Pharisee? Judge? The Pharisee trying to look like a Tax Collector?  Look in the mirror - how are you dressed from the inside out?