And He also told this parable to some people who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and viewed others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and was praying these things to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his chest, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Luke 18:9-14
Introduction
If you have ever thought you lived your life free of comparisons to others, then you are simply blind to how much you really do it. Consider simple every-day things you take for granted like the home you live in, the phone you use, or the car you drive. The decision to acquire each of those was greatly influenced by what you see other people using and owning. If you live in an apartment, it is very likely that many of the people you know also live in apartments. If you use an iPhone, it is very likely many or even most of the people you interact with also have iPhones.
And notice that I even assumed you have a phone. You have one largely because of the expectations others have for you: that you would be reachable at any time, and are willing to communicate via text or voice. It is certainly possible to make it through life without a cell phone, but because of comparison, few venture to try it.
We do this with our sense of righteousness and goodness as well. No one likes to think of themselves as bad, even if they admit to doing and thinking some very bad things. Think about how it often goes: “I may not be great, but at least I’m not…” It is like we assume God grades on a curve, boosting everyone’s righteousness score so that average is good enough.
Only good by comparison
In the book of Amos, God has sent the prophet against His people Israel due to their rejection of His Law and standard. They have turned away and followed after other gods. But they did continue to observe the commands in scripture – at least in commemoration and ritual. Consider chapter 5, verses 21 through 23:
I hate, I reject your feasts,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings of your fatlings.
Remove from Me the tumult of your songs;
I will not even listen to the melody of your harps.
So we see that the people kept the feasts, continued with the offerings, and sang songs of praise. But because they did this with hearts that chased after foreign gods and hated righteousness, God did not accept their outward appearance of obedience. His standard is not our standard. Later in chapter 7, verse 7, Amos says “Thus He showed me, and behold, the Lord was standing by a wall made with a plumb line, and in His hand was a plumb line.” A plumb line is a tool much like a level that uses gravity to create a perfectly straight line perpendicular to the ground. This is exceedingly useful for checking how straight a wall is, since walls have a tendency to look correct to the naked eye while actually being quite crooked.
This image of a plumb line was given to Amos because God’s standard is absolute. There is no scale. There is no “good by comparison.” A crooked wall is a crooked wall, no matter how many other walls around it are also crooked. This standard is what the Pharisee in the parable has missed. His righteousness is not held up in comparison against swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or tax collectors. His and your righteousness are held up in comparison against the perfect Law keeper, Jesus Christ. And if you search your heart even over the past 24 hours, you will find you fall woefully short.
A simple prayer
Shifting our gaze to the one Jesus called “justified” teaches us how we ought to approach God in prayer instead. This man recognized his sin, and instead of justifying himself or giving allowance to his sin, he begs God for mercy. It is a very simple prayer he gives: “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!”
How often do you say this prayer? Have you ever said it? Have you ever come before God, confessing your sin and asking Him for mercy?
One tool the Spirit uses in our sanctification is the illumination of our unrighteousness. He causes us to recognize it. What do you do with that recognition? Do you minimize your sin and metaphorically sweep it under the rug? Or instead, do you call it for what it is and repent, mastering that which wants to master you (Genesis 4:7)?
If you do not already, try incorporating the tax collector’s prayer into your daily routine. Bring yourself before God in humility, asking for His mercy. He is faithful to grant it.
May the Lord bless you and conform you into the image of His Son.
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