There’s lots to be said for perspective—how we see things—and the accompanying underlying assumptions. If we don’t recognize and think about these, then it’s possible we could go askew in lots of ways. For example, a person can have a chip on their shoulder, such that interactions are rooted in insecurity or a victim mindset. The perspective and assumption challenge can also play out with a superior outlook, which could cause someone to consider themselves to be better than others.
I bring this to your attention because of a parable that Jesus gave in Luke 18:9-14. In this parable, Jesus contrasts two people going up to the temple who had opposite perspectives. The first person in this parable is a Pharisee who trusts in his own righteous deeds and upstanding behaviors. Jesus describes the Pharisee’s underlying assumptions in verses 11-12:
“The Pharisee stood and was praying this to himself: ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.”
Something to consider about the Pharisee and his perspective is that he stood and prayed for himself. He addressed God from the posture of superiority in comparison to other people, scoundrels, adulterers, renegades, immoral offenders, thieves, etc. In contrast, the Pharisee was upstanding because of his religious rigor and righteous piety—regular fasting and tithing.
In sharp contrast to the Pharisee is the tax collector who was generally held in contempt by most Jews at this time. Tax collectors were often thugs and bullies, using their position to take advantage of others in a variety of ways. It’s interesting to look at how Jesus described the tax collector in this parable, as we read in verse 13: “But the tax collector, standing some distance away, was even unwilling to lift up his eyes to heaven, but was beating his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, the sinner!’” Clearly, the tax collector in his prayer posture saw himself as undeserving and begged God to have mercy on him. This man had a perspective of humility, which was demonstrated in how he petitioned God.
Both of these men, the Pharisee and tax collector, had drastically different perspectives and underlying assumptions in how they saw God, as evidenced in how they prayed. There was superiority and haughtiness to the Pharisee, but there was contrition and humility in the tax collector’s posture.
This is important for us to think about, particularly in relation to our posture or underlying assumptions in prayer—how we talk with God. I’m certain that when we pray, we likely pray for and about others. But I think that, fundamentally, this parable challenges us to consider our own relationship with God before we look around at other people, especially if we see ourselves as superior to others.
Jesus summarizes the differences between the two men with this concluding phrase at the end of verse 14: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
To me, it’s apparent that humility is always a better perspective than superiority and arrogance, particularly when we are connecting with God!
