To have a meaningful relationship with someone, it is essential to know that person well. The same applies to having a meaningful relationship with God, which requires deep knowledge of him. We discussed this yesterday and learnt that the Holy Spirit plays a key role in teaching us about God. The Spirit wants to transform our old perceptions and beliefs into new ones.

 

In every relationship, there is another dimension. It is useless to know another person well if we do not know who we are. In our relationship with God, the Spirit seeks to provide us with new insights and convictions about ourselves. Without a clear understanding of ourselves, it becomes impossible to comprehend the nature of our relationship with God.

 

The parable from today’s verse offers an interesting view on how differently two people can perceive themselves. The Pharisee believes he knows himself well, but is deceiving himself when he considers himself to be someone very special. In Luke 18:11, he says, “I thank you, God, that I am not greedy, dishonest, or an adulterer, like everybody else.” He then goes on to boast about his other virtues, such as fasting twice a week and tithing a tenth of his income. His high opinion of himself reveals that he understands very little about his true self, as few of us are as remarkable as we believe.

 

In contrast, the tax collector has a clear understanding of himself. He introduces himself to God as a sinner who can only progress by relying on God’s mercy and grace. He knows exactly who he is and what he needs from God. As a result, his relationship with God will be much closer, because he acknowledges his total dependence on the Lord.

 

Prayer: Dear Lord, like the tax collector, I humbly plead for your mercy on me, a sinner. Amen.