November 23, 2024 Daily Dose of Discernment

Jesus spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others. (Luke 18:9)

The Pharisee's thoughts in the parable are not off-kilter. He has good reason to think he is better than his tax collecting brother. Pharisees were esteemed for their zeal for piety. In contrast, tax collectors were at the bottom of the moral totem pole and were seen as opportunistic traitors by their fellow Jews. The older brother and the prodigal son is their precise parallel.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with being devout. What Jesus is calling out is the holier-than-thou mindset toward others who are not as virtuous. No matter how justified we are in feeling superior, it is unbecoming of a follower of Christ to look down on his brothers. Instead, we should regard them as more important than we. Jesus is the one person who could have flaunted His prominence, but He came to lift us up, not put us down. That is our standard.