Luke 18:9-14 — Proud vs. Humble!

READ THIS: Luke 18:9-14

9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’ 13 “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.’ 

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

WHAT’S THIS MEAN, ANYWAY?

Have you ever talked to God and expected to receive something because you were being good? In high school, I remember asking God one time to help get rid of something I was stressed about, and after I prayed, I genuinely thought God would take it away right away because of how I was doing in my relationship with Him! I remember thinking “I’ve been reading more, going to church more, and even leading a Bible study, so God has to listen!” But, as it always tends to go, the situation didn’t remotely go how I thought it would, and I got so mad at God! This parable kind of touches on that!

In this story, Jesus tells us about two men who were praying to God. One of them prays to God so that they can exalt and justify themselves, and the other is so aware of their sin that they can only respond humbly to God. I am certain that the Pharisee in this story went home and likely thought of themselves the way that I did back then, but we see from Jesus’s words in verse 14 that only the humble tax collector went home justified before God. When we take time to talk to God in prayer, it is important that we don’t approach God like we have earned anything… the truth is that every breath of life we have is a gift! Instead, humbly come before God, acknowledging that everything we have is an act of grace from Him, and humbly ask God for things, trusting that no matter how He responds, He is the One in control!

THINK ABOUT IT:

1. Have you ever expected God to answer your prayer because of what you have done? How did that go?

2. How can we come before God in prayer humbly and expectantly? What does that look like?

TRY THIS:

We just read James 4 this last Sunday, and in that chapter, James shares a similar message to his half-brother, quoting Proverbs 3:34… check it out!

Prov. 3:34 He mocks proud mockers but shows favor to the humble and oppressed.

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