"He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'"
Jesus' stories in Luke 18 feature underdogs: a mistreated widow, a despised tax collector, little children, a blind beggar. A rich man makes an appearance as a negative example, as do most wealthy people around Jesus. Even Jesus' closest disciples have trouble swallowing his teaching that money represents a grave danger. Jesus spells out that danger, warning that wealth can keep people from the kingdom of God by tempting them to depend on themselves rather than God. The story of the Pharisee and the tax collector reinforces that message. Not only wealth, but any form of pride or self-dependence tends to lead away from God.
Even an effort to become "holy" may produce the opposite effect if it produces spirtual pride and a feeling of superiority. Human beings have an incurable tendency to feed their own egos, to take credit, to compete. The way to God, said Jesus, is just the opposite: Trust God like a little child, admit wrong, let go.
Jesus reveals the key to true success in the very first story in this collection, a parable to illustrate why we "should always pray and not give up." The persistent widow endures much frustration and apparent injustice before the judge finally grants her request. Similarly, Jesus implies, we may go through desert periods when it looks as if God is ignoring our heartfelt requests. In the end, God himself will settle accounts. And all those whose faith holds firm, even in the hard times, will see justice done.
1 comment:
Jesus calls us to be right with God in child-like simplicity. We are to trust God to work in us as we, by faith,receive salvation and healing.
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