September 19, 2016

TO BE HUMBLE OR TO BE HUMBLED

Luke 18:1–14

Edward Barrett
Monday's Devo

September 19, 2016

Monday's Devo

September 19, 2016

Central Truth

When I depend on my own strength, I miss out on true humility and what it means to have a contrite heart. All I have when I choose to stand alone is self-righteousness.

Key Verse | Luke 18:13–14

"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 went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18:13-14)

 

Luke 18:1–14

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?”

The Pharisee and the Tax Collector

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed 1 18:11 Or standing, prayed to himself thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ 13 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!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Footnotes

[1] 18:11 Or standing, prayed to himself

Dive Deeper | Luke 18:1–14

In Luke 18:9-14, Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee and a tax collector who have totally different views of themselves. The Pharisee comes in his self-righteousness, "standing by himself," isolating from others and relying on his own deeds rather than on what God has done for him. In contrast, the tax collector, knowing he is a sinner and realizing his need for a savior, humbly comes with a contrite heart to the throne of God, the Most High, the everlasting King of glory, who needs nothing from this man. He asks God to have mercy on him, a sinner. 

I relate to this parable because I have gone back and forth between both of these views of my life. When I am living in isolation-causing depravity, I've been like the Pharisee. Isolation leaves me forgetting what God has done for me. I then start down the path of relying on my own strength and feeding my self-righteousness, giving birth to thoughts and actions that line up with feeling as if I'm doing God a favor, and I find my worth and value in myself.

In contrast, when I surround myself with biblical community, I become fully known and allow myself to be held accountable to other men, staying rooted in truth. I am reminded constantly what Jesus has done, and community helps me to practice spiritual disciplines that result in humility and having a contrite heart before the Lord. By staying connected, being rooted in truth, and practicing spiritual disciplines, I find my worth and value in Christ alone.

Discussion Questions

1. Do you currently relate to the Pharisee or the tax collector?

2. Have there been times when you've allowed isolation to lead you away from depending on Christ?

3. Are you humble, or are you being humbled?