[Jesus speaking]
“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’ “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

In this world we have a sin problem. The problem isn’t just the sins of action or inaction (commission and omission). The bigger problem is that, because of pride, we cover up our sins or try to blame them on others. It all started back in the Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve. ‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭6‬-‭10‬ says: “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves. Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, ‘Where are you?’ He answered, ‘I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.’”

We see that the first actions of Adam and Eve after sinning against God were to cover up their nakedness and hide from God. It started at the beginning of time and we still do this today — we cover up our shame and hide from the one who loves us most and can help heal us.

Later in this story we find the “blame game”. “And he said, ‘Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?’ The man said, ‘The woman you put here with me—she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.’ Then the Lord God said to the woman, ‘What is this you have done?’ The woman said, ‘The serpent deceived me, and I ate.’” (‭‭Genesis‬ ‭3‬:‭11‬-‭13‬)

What Jesus is pointing out about this tax collector is not that he lived a good life by comparison, or that he deserved forgiveness from God. What he is pointing out is that he is weeping over his sin, he shows a heart of true repentance, because he owns his sin.

When we own our sin and repent, God can and will help us with it. He can heal our hearts and he will forgive us. The question is: do I want to be justified before an Almighty God? If so, I must humble myself!

Lord, thank you for the example of the humble and repentant tax collector. May I be humble and seek your face daily. Help me to properly identify my sin and repent of it, so you can grow in me your will and your ways!