Praise me!! Luke 18:9-17

Don’t you know? haven’t you heard? It is all about me! I shine! I rock! I dress in the best attires from top designers! I am disciplined, composed, posed, respected by others, Godly because I fast twice a week, come to pray as you can see, give money to the church. I am honest, have a position of power, and my likes supersede yours!

God, aren’t you happy that I am praying to you? Honestly, how many others are there like me? I am not like any of them. Liers, fornicators, adulterous, murderers, gossipers, unjust, unfair, or even like this guy right here. A Walmart shopper! I am better than anyone! I feel empowered! thank you!

Don’t you know? haven’t you heard? It is not about me! God, you are merciful, kind, generous with all you have for you bless me every day with the breath of life, you give me hope, provisions for my daily needs, most importantly, you give me grace when I am undeserving for I am a sinner yet you deal with me with love and compassion!

God, I am so thankful to be here at your feet and able to worship you! I know without you I am unable to stand in your presence. You made me and placed in me all who I am and the gifts I have.  I am unable to look up for I know you are Holy and I am not. I try but I fail. I know what I need to do yet I keep doing that which you tell me not to.

I know I should die for I was born into a sinful world. What my flesh learns easily is to be a lier, a thief, a swindler, a gossiper, a fornicator! such a sinner Lord! Help me be better, make this sinner holy! Please forgive me! I am unworthy of your time!

Don’t you know, haven’t you heard? It is not about your works! it is about your heart! For I oppose the proud but give grace to the humble! didn’t I tell you that unless your faith becomes like one of the children’s you will not enter the kingdom of Heaven? When you trust in Me and not in your own aptitudes, I am able to enhance your abilities and complete you!

Such was the Pharisee and the publican’s parable! The pharisee stood and was praying 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.

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. Jesus said this man was justified.

At the same time, they were bringing babies and children to Jesus and the disciples were rebuking them. But Jesus said “permit the children to come to Me and do not hinder them. For the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

We are to teach our children about Him. Statistics show that about 83% of people believe when they are children. When they are trusting of others and not of themselves. Friends so many of us are proud people. Sometimes we don’t realize it but as we stand away from Him, rely on ourselves and do not seek Him, we are showing our arrogance for truly we are saying “I don’t need you!”

Have faith, trust in God! As we grow, we acquire more layers that obscure our trust.  Proverbs 3:5-6 says: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight”