“The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people...’” (Luke 18:11).
Two men were praying, Jesus said, and they were men from opposite ends of the social scale. One was a Pharisee, a religious official, a successful man, one who was considered to be holy and pious. The other was a tax collector, or as older translations call him, a “publican.” A common man, but generally hated by most others because of his profession. These two could not be more different. Nor could their prayers be more different, which is really the point Jesus is trying to get at.
The Pharisee, as Jesus tells it, prays first, and I am astounded by his prayer. It’s fairly short, but it packs a punch. He prays a prayer of thanksgiving, but at the same time it’s one of the most self-centered prayers in the Bible. “God, I thank you...” So far, so good. It’s good and noble and right to give thanks to God. “God, I thank you...that I am not like these other people.” What? What did he just say? The very first thing he is thankful for is that he isn’t like those he looks down on? The very first thing he is thankful for is that he is better than others? The very first thing he is thankful for is that he is himself and not someone else, someone lower on the social ladder?
One of the things that astounds me about his prayer (and there are many things) is that such an offering of thanks would be the first thing out of his mouth. There are so many things to be thankful for, so many good things, that I’m amazed this religious person first thinks of how much better he is than someone else. Why not give thanks for the sunshine, for the rain, for the joy of children, for the privilege of worship, for the very breath of life? Why not look around and see the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset, watch the gleam of discovery in a baby’s eyes, or hear the sound of music echoing off the walls in the place of worship? But none of that enters this man’s life of prayer. His first thought is of himself, and how much better he is than everyone else. Is that really a worthwhile prayer of thanks? There’s a reason he’s standing by himself—I doubt anyone wanted to be around him!
That was true of a man I knew. You’ve know people like him most likely, those who only feel good about themselves if they are tearing someone else down. That’s what this man did, consistently. Somehow, he had risen to a level of prominence in his field, which made it even easier for him to look down on others. He was depressing and discouraging to be around, and most did not want to be around him for very long. He usually “stood alone.” What a sad life! His only motivation, his only desire was to be better than everyone else.
But I think that same spirit lurks inside each of us somewhere. The challenge is to guard against it, and one way we do that is to give thanks for everything, for the smallest of details, for the beauty of life. Give thanks for small things around us, and give thanks for each and every person God puts in your life (even the Pharisees). The secret to a humble heart is a thankful heart, a thankful mind, a life trained to see every occasion, every person, every instance as a call to thankfulness.
What are you thankful for today?