INS:Liberation from the 'I am not like others' Trap  by Jeffrey Carlson

   from LUKE 18:9-14 by REV. JEFFREY CARLSON

   A parable is a picture story with a striking message. Jesus used
this kind of story many times. In the parable of the Pharisee and the
tax-collector, the two characters are easy to visualize. On the one
hand, you have an arrogant, holier-than-thou Pharisee who thanks God
that he is not like the tax- collector. On the other hand, you have a
contrite tax-collector who opens his soul to the mercy of God. The
message is clear, the humble tax-collector is accepted by God and the
over confident Pharisee is not. It is obvious, but ironic, that the
normally outcast tax-collector is the so-called "good guy" and the
religious pillar-of-the-temple Pharisee is the "bad guy." So obvious is
this, in fact, that it would be very difficult for anyone not to see
that we are to be like the tax-collector and not like the Pharisee.
Once we understand this message, then any re-reading of the parable
would serve as a reminder for us that we should exhibit the proper
virtues of humility before God and dependence upon his grace.

   So then we can be glad that we are not like the Pharisee. If you
agree with me that this is the obvious message of the text, as I
believe it is, then we're in trouble! Because in order for us to be
glad that we are not like the Pharisee, we must BECOME like the
Pharisee who was glad that he was not like the tax-collector. This then
is the striking message of the parable. No matter how we read it, we
always end up being the Pharisee! How do we get out of this trap? As
long as we ignore our common humanity, we will never escape. As long as
we base our worth on how much better we are than others, even certain
others, we will never escape. As long as we think God can be indebted
to us, we will never escape. Only when we have a true understanding of
ourselves, a true regard for others, and a true trust in God will we be
set free, even as Jesus said that we shall know the truth and the truth
shall set us free.

   When I say we need a true understanding of ourselves, I do not mean
that in the intellectual sense. I am not trying to make intelligence a
requirement for faith. Rather, it doesn't take a genius to know what it
is like to be human. We build and we destroy. We love, hate,laugh, cry,
make mistakes, are happy, are sad and we need food and shelter and
acceptance. These things and more are part of our common humanity. Yet
the history of the human race is one which is marked by a desire to
label some people as less than human so we may do with them what we
please. We did it to the Indians and said they were less than human. We
did it to black Africans and said they were less than human. We did it
to Jews and said they were less than human. We do it to fetuses because
we say they are not yet human.

   It is difficult for many people to admit being sinful. I realize
that many people today have low self-esteem and a low regard for their
own worth, but it is a mistake to associate this with guilt. Maybe that
is why some people object to having a prayer of confession in the
worship every week. They feel it depresses an already weak self
concept. But there is a misunderstanding here. The tragedy of our
sinfulness is precisely so because of how valuable we are! If you
spilled permanent ink on a third-hand rug you got at a rummage sale, it
wouldn't be such a big deal, would it? But if you spilled permanent ink
on your brand new imported Persian rug, that would be a different
story. Why? Because the Persian rug is so much more valuable. The same
is true of us. The stain of sin is so significant because of how
valuable and irreplaceable we are!

   But let us say that a carpet maker came by and said that he had a
way to completely remove the stain. Would you say to the carpet maker,
"I have no stain on my rug and I am glad my rug is not like anybody
else's, especially my neighbor's next door. I vacuum it twice a week
and never let anybody walk on it with shoes." Or would you say, "I
spilled ink on the rug and I can't get it out. Please help me!" It is
confession then that opens us up to God's help.

   Now it may be absurd to say that we are on the same moral level as
the tax-collector. Nevertheless, we are on the same side of the chasm
which separates us from God. As John Calvin has written, "Whatever
proficiency a man may have in the worship of God and in true holiness,
yet if he considers how far he is still deficient, there is no other
form of prayer which he can properly use than to begin with an
acknowledgement of guilt; for though some are more, and others less,
yet all are universally guilty (HARMONY OF THE GOSPELS, II, p. 206)."
Through faith and dependence upon Jesus Christ we are cleansed of
guilt. If you feel bad about yourself don't blame God. Remember how
valuable you must be to him that Christ would die for you. Through his
death he has wiped out the sin common to humanity. Every person is a
person for whom Christ died. God calls every person to turn away from
sin and step into his kingdom as new people, like children fresh from
the womb.

   If we understand ourselves to be children of God, who, having
rejected him, now are able to be reunited with him through Christ, this
in turn will affect the way we regard others. Our worth is intrinsic
and does not depend upon how better or worse others are. Nevertheless,
this is how most of us determine our worth.

   In my junior high school the students were put into one of three
groups: the "A" class, the "B" class and the "C" class (which many
people cruelly called the "dummy class"). I had a friend in the "C"
class. It turns out he had a higher I.Q. than most of the people in the
"A" class but because of an eye problem that wasn't detected until he
started high school, he had difficulty reading. His self-image was poor
because he accepted the judgement that he belonged in the "dummy class."

   Sometimes when visiting someone in the hospital I will ask how he or
she is doing and he or she will answer, "I just thank God I am not as
bad off as some people, especially so-and-so down the hall!" Now what
happens if I go visit so-and-so. Do I say, "Hey, how ya doing? I was
just visiting somebody who was real happy that they weren't as bad off
as you!" Do you see what is happening? Even in the hospital, we can be
Pharisees. In fact, it happens just about everywhere.

   Too often we value people because they are the fastest or the
smartest or the strongest. But that only works if others are slower,
dumber and weaker. The true worth of others will only be brought out
when our relationships are characterized not be comparison but common
humanity. We must regard others as we would have them regard us.

   The Pharisee saw God as a corporation which yields dividends for the
right investment. The tax-collector saw God as holiness and was
compelled to lay bare his soul. I am afraid our vision of God tends to
be like the former. We persist in the idea that good deeds and hard
work earn us a good life and blessing from God. But this is practically
difficult since they are many people who are good natured and work hard
that do not have material blessings. And this is theologically
disgusting since it insults God's grace on the one hand, and flies in
the face of our Lord's command to take up our cross daily and follow
him. This led Martin Luther and John Calvin to say that good works are
an abomination to the Lord. But the Apostle Paul had already indicated
that when he wrote, "For by grace you have been saved through
faith...not because of works (Eph.2:8-9)." It was the rediscovery of
that truth which led to the Reformation. We can not earn God's favor.
It is freely given, but bought with the blood of Christ. Now, of
course, good works are important. But we do them out of thankfulness
for what God alone was able to do and has done for us.

   I have discussed the meaning of this parable with others before. The
reaction was largely one of rebuttal. "What do you mean, you always end
up being like the Pharisee, no matter how you read the story? I simply
refuse to be like the person who does not want to be like the
Pharisee!", they may say. Basically, there are two choices. You can
want to be like the Pharisee or you can want to not be like the
Pharisee. But to not want to be like the Pharisee is to become like the
Pharisee who did not want to be like the tax-collector. The best way
out of this mess is in. Admit that you are a Pharisee and have a good
laugh. We are hopelessly, helplessly, without hesitancy, all Pharisees!
See the cleverness of this parable, the trap of truth which it springs
and the mockery it makes of self righteousness. We get into trouble
when we take our own righteousness too seriously. Admit that you are
like others and regard them in the same way Christ regards them and
you. For we are all valuable to him and by trusting in him we can be
free to be true humanity. Amen.
