Comparatively Speaking

Two men went to the Temple to pray.  One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector.  The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer:  ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else.  For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery.  I’m certainly not like that tax collector!  I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed.  Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’  I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God.  For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Luke 18:10-14 NLT

Have you ever wondered about the Pharisee, about why he felt like he needed to compare himself to the tax collector?  I mean, tax collectors were just about the lowest of the low, sin-wise, in Bible days.  And this guy was a Pharisee, ceremonially clean, a tither, faithful to his wife, and a man of integrity.  But in his heart he knew that something was wrong, so he found the worst possible guy to whom he could compare himself.  This way he could feel better about himself without actually making any changes.

Instead of dealing with his own sin, the Pharisee set himself in the place of judging the tax collector.  Jesus warned about this in His Sermon on the Mount when He said that whatever ruler we use on others, will be used on us (Matt. 7:2).

Judgments and comparisons arise from an orphan spirit.  If our Father is the Lord God, and we know who our Father is, we will only compare ourselves to Him.  We know what He is like because we have the record of Jesus, the exact representation of the Father (Heb. 1:3), in the gospels.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Heb. 12:1,2 NASB

Peace,

Davina