June 26 I Saturday

Job 5-7

Acts 8:1-25

“To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: ‘Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.’”   —Luke 18:9-10

Many of the Pharisees believe their strict observance to the Old Testament laws have led them to righteousness, thereby making them feel prideful of themselves. Jesus confronts this issue with a parable that He tells. “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’” (Luke 18:10-12).

      The problem with the Pharisee’s theology is that their righteousness is rooted in themselves, which leads to a religious pride that sets into their hearts. This enabled them to take pride in their behaviour and look down on others who do not measure up to where they are. This was the problem with the Old Covenant. The law was good, but the results of trying to fulfill it were untenable to most, or led to pride in others like the Pharisees. 

      If we are not careful, Pharisee theology can even set into our own life after we have experienced Christ. We can begin to look down on others thinking ourselves better than others, pointing the finger and maliciously talking about those people, assuming that we are okay. 

      A few years ago, some youths from Urban Promise were leaving a meeting we were having in a church. A pastor was meeting with some of the church kids in another room while the youths who were leaving were being a bit loud and disruptive. The pastor came storming in, visibly upset about the youths being loud, and he said, “Can you keep it down? I’m trying to teach these kids in here not to turn out like you kids.” I remember the kids who were being a little rowdy as they left. Two of them serve as missionaries today; they share the gospel of Jesus Christ with youths who are growing up in a difficult neighbourhood. Maybe the pastor should have said, “I hope my kids turn out like you are going to be.”

      Religious pride can easily set in to all of our lives. Paul writes, “For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). May we heed the words of Paul and be cautious when Pharisee theology starts creeping into our mindset, remembering the righteousness in our life is a gift from God. 

Prayer: Righteous God, only You alone are righteous. I confess of the times when I looked down upon others, believing myself to be better. Let me not boast in myself, but boast in You alone. Thank You, God.