Good Advice

I wrote a paper recently about the virtue of humility, in which I explored those who proudly justify themselves and those who humbly convict themselves. The message within Luke's Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector, is that the lack of humility did not allow the Pharisee to recognize his own sin. A friend of mine asked “How could the Pharisee’s prayer have been improved”, and I wondered if there are examples in the Bible, where man acknowledges his own goodness in prayer.

One example that avoids the sin of pride is, “I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not done evil by turning from my God. All his laws are before me; I have not turned away from his decrees. I have been blameless before him and have kept myself from sin” (Psalms 18:21-23). Another example is, “I have led a blameless life; I have trusted in the Lord without wavering. Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind; for your love is ever before me, and I walk continually in your truth. I do not sit with deceitful men, nor do I consort with hypocrites. I abhor the assembly of evildoers and refuse to sit with the wicked” (Psalms 26:1-5).

The difference between the Psalmist’s prayers and the Pharisee’s prayer may be subtle, but notice that the Pharisee put down the tax collector. Essentially, when we over evaluate how good we are, especially in comparison to others, we are not dealing with the sin in our own lives and we under evaluate God’s work in the lives of others. When you pray do not be like the hypocrites giving thanks for yourself; instead give thanks to others and acknowledge the works of God in your life. “Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips” (Proverbs 27:2), seems like good advice to me.