THE POISON OF PRIDE (Luke 18:9-12)

Pride acts as a venomous force silently corroding our souls, often without our awareness. Jesus directed this parable towards those who placed unwavering trust in their own righteousness, harboring contempt for others. Even devout followers of Jesus can fall into this trap, whether by viewing themselves as intellectually superior to fellow believers or by refusing to seek forgiveness. The Pharisee, epitomizing self-righteousness, stood in prayer with an air of confidence, oblivious to the fact that he prayed only to himself. His prayer dripped with pride as he thanked God for not being like the despised tax collector.

Pride manifests in mechanical and thoughtless prayers, viewing prayer as a mere obligation to earn favor with God. It surfaces when we expect answers based on our deeds or when we harbor resentment towards others without acknowledging our own faults. Moreover, praying with selfish motives further fuels this prideful disposition. The initial consequence of pride is a diminished reliance on prayer, as we lean on our own resources until they fail us, prompting us to turn to God as a last resort.

Isaiah 14:12-14 talks about the king of Babylon, but also is a reference to Satan who wanted to be like God. Eve was tempted the same way, to be like God. Until today, that’s the sin problem we have ----we want to be our own God. We are most like Jesus when we are humble, but we are most like Satan when we are proud.

THE POSTURE OF HUMILITY (Luke 18:13)

What defines genuine humility in the eyes of God? In a surprising turn of events, the tax collector, positioned apart from the Pharisee for a distinct reason, humbly acknowledged his sinful state, pleading for God's mercy. His plea for mercy, rooted in the Greek term "hilaskomai," conveys the concept of making propitiation for sin, a task only achievable through Jesus Christ, the unblemished sacrifice for our sins (1 John 4:10). This tax collector recognized his utter helplessness in the face of sin, praying with humility for divine mercy.

Similarly, a woman in Mark 5:25-28 exhibited profound humility by reaching out to touch Jesus' garment in faith, believing in His power to heal her. Her silent plea mirrored the tax collector's acknowledgment of total dependence on God. Jesus did not only heal her from physical disease, but also from her spiritual disease, she was forgiven! King Solomon, despite his elevated status, exemplified humility by seeking God's wisdom in ruling His people, recognizing his inadequacy without divine guidance (1 Kings 3:7-13). Whether in dire circumstances or positions of prominence, humility in prayer acknowledges our reliance on God's grace.

THE POWER OF GRACE (Luke 18:14)

God opposes the proud, a sobering reality emphasized in James 4:6, 10. Therefore, let us voluntarily humble ourselves before the Lord, lest He humbles us through circumstance. God extends greater grace to the humble, as exemplified in the parable where the tax collector is justified, declared "not guilty" through the perfect righteousness of Christ imputed through faith. Outside of Christ, our spiritual account remains empty, but through faith, His righteousness fills our spiritual deficit, rendering us acceptable before God.

Let us approach God with humility and experience the transformative power of His grace in our life!