⁹ 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 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.”

Luke 18:9-14

The way we position ourselves before God in prayer matters. The way we position ourselves in rank with humanity also matters.

It can be easy to think that because we are Christians that we are not like these other sinners, but from my experience, we either become renewed or we learn to fake it. We act like we’ve got ourselves together, and there it is – the truth! We are the ones holding us together instead of fulling leaning upon the Lord.

Is humility your default, or do you have to fight pride for it?

Father, forgive me a sinner. Set my heart in humble placing, just one among the rest who needs your marvelous grace. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

All is grace,

Starla