“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
— Luke 18:10–14 (ESV)
For those who may be new to the Bible, let me paint the picture: tax collectors in Jesus’ time weren’t simply IRS agents. They were collaborators with the Roman Empire, betraying their own people for wealth and often behaving with the same cruelty as their occupiers. They were despised, rejected, and considered spiritually lost. And yet, it was that man—the outcast, the sinner, the broken one—who walked away justified before God.
Now fast forward 2,000 years. The message of humility and mercy hasn’t changed, but sadly, the church often struggles to live it out. Week after week, people walk into our churches seeking hope, healing, and a fresh start with God. Yet too many leave carrying new wounds instead of new joy. Some never come back. Others try to speak up about their hurt and are ignored—or worse, made to feel like the problem themselves.
Let’s be honest: life is already hard enough. Many who step through our doors are already carrying regret, shame, and pain. The last thing they need is judgment or dismissal. What they desperately need is mercy. A listening ear. A warm welcome. A place where walls can come down.
And when walls come down, hearts open. When hearts open, God transforms lives. Isn’t that the very mission of the church—to be a place where lives are changed by the love of Christ?
So here’s the call to action:
Let’s be the church that notices the “least of these.” Let’s check in on the ones who slip away quietly. Let’s invite them back, involve them, and give them a reason to believe that grace is real.
Let’s stop exalting ourselves in pride and instead humble ourselves in service.
Because when the Pharisee prays, no one’s life is touched. But when the tax collector cries out, heaven moves. Let’s be a church where heaven moves.
TMDPB - The Modern Day Parables Blog 