Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers inc. Wheaton, Illinois 60189, all rights reserved.
TWO MEN--TWO PRAYERS
[Luke 18:9-14] Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else. “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.”
The Pharisee did not go to the temple to pray to God, but to announce to all within earshot how great and wonderful he was. (Do you know people like that?) The tax collector went however, recognizing his sin and begging for mercy. May I say, self-righteousness is dangerous. It leads to pride, causes a person to despise others, and prevents the self-righteous person from learning anything from God, or having a right relationship with the Lord. The tax collector’s prayer should be our prayer, because we all need God’s mercy every day. Don’t let pride come between you and God. You think about that.
Bravenet Blog 
Blog Community
Get a Free Blog
Manage your Blog
bravenet.com