“God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
This is one of those questions that can be answered with another question. Who was forgiven between the two men who went to the temple to pray: the Pharisee, who thanked God because he wasn’t a sinner like other people, or the tax collector, who couldn’t even raise his eyes to heaven because he considered himself unworthy? In the words of the Lord Jesus, it was the tax collector who “went down to his home justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
Why did God forgive the convicted and confessed sinner while overlooking the Pharisee’s prayers? Does the parable not say that this man lived devoutly? He did not steal, he was not unfaithful to his wife, he did not commit injustices against his neighbor. In addition, he fasted twice a week and gave tithes of all his earnings. However, he left the temple without God’s blessing. Why?
I believe that Philip Yancey hit the nail on the head when he wrote that for God’s grace to be effective, the sinner must first receive it; however, in order to receive it, his or her hands must be empty. ‘The tax collector was forgiven because he went to the temple “empty-handed.” The Pharisee’s hands, on the other hand, were full. How could he receive God’s grace if his hands were already full of his pride and self-suf-ficiency?
There’s still one more lesson in this parable, and it’s that for God, humanity isn’t divided into righteous people and sinners. There are only sinners: sinners who, like the tax collector, recognize their condition and ask for mercy and those who, like the Pharisee, believe themselves to be righteous and, therefore, consider that they don’t need to repent.
How are your hands as you present yourself to God? how, before you respond, 1 want to share with you the following words: “Grace is the hand of God reaching earthward. Faith is the hand of man reaching up to take hold of God’s hand.
In order to take hold of hand of Gods hand, shouldn’t our hands be open and also empty? Do we understand now why the tax collector was forgiven and why the Pharisee was not?
Lord, I stand before You with opened hands. Please cleanse them of all pride and fill them with Your forgiveness and Your love.
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Taken from: Devotional Readings for Adults 2022
“GREAT IS OUR GOD!”
From: FERNANDO ZABALA
Colaboradores: Xiomara Perdomo & Angelica Cuate