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I tell you, this last one went to his house justified rather than the first one; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted. (Luke 18:14)
Jesus often spoke about humility. In his time, the religious leaders were not known for their humility. They walked around, puffed up with their own holiness, thinking they were better than other people. I want us to look briefly at three examples where Jesus emphasized humility. The first one is in Matthew 18. “In that hour the disciples came to Jesus and said: Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (to 1). Then Jesus called a little child to Him and let him stand in their midst and He said: Truly I say to you, if you do not change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven! Everyone then who humbles himself like this little child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (verses 2-4).
Even in Jesus’ day, people jostled each other for status and position. In Luke 14, Jesus is at a meal and He saw the people pushing and shoving each other to get the best seats at the table. He spoke to the people around Him and said: “When you are invited by someone to a wedding, don’t take the front seat… go and take the back seat; so that when he comes who invited you, he can say to you: Friend, go up higher! Then you will have honor before those who are at the table with you” (verses 8, 10). Then He trumped them with the words: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (verse 11).
In those days there were few people who had lower prestige than the publicans. He told this parable to the religious leaders who trusted in their own righteousness and despised other people. “The Pharisee stood and prayed to himself like this: O God, I thank You that I am not like other people – robbers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector” (Lukas 18:11). The publican prayed: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13) Who do you think went home acquitted?
My Father God, I come to You in the Name of Jesus, my Savior. Lord Jesus, I thank You that when You were on this earth, You left me teachings about humility. I ask that You will help me to be obedient to Your teaching. Amen.
