“Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get. ‘But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Luke 18:10-14
My young African friend came today. ‘Life is boring without God,’ He said. ‘I want to know more about Him.’ ‘Let’s read about the Pharisee and the tax collector,’ I said. Now, he didn’t know what a Pharisee or a tax collector was so I explained. I explained the word ‘conceited;’ he hadn’t heard that one before. I explained, too, that the tax collector was also most likely a thief.
My young friend talks out his thoughts to me. ‘Yes, Miss Julia, when I lived in ……….. I got into fighting and went to court. The judge had mercy on me. He told me I was young and naïve and had a girlfriend to look after. He let me off. Then I did the same thing a second time; I got into fighting again. I found myself before the same judge again. Again he let me off. When it happened the third time, the judge send me to prison. Yes, Miss Julia, that judge showed me mercy.’
‘Samson’ (not his real name) I said, ‘God is like that. If we ask Him for mercy, He will give it to us.’
‘Yes,’ said Samson wisely, ‘but not if we keep on doing bad.’ I haven’t got to teach him much …. I think the Holy Spirit has got there first.
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