Humility to Exaltation – Luke 18:9-14

CommonSenseMedia.org lists children’s TV “that promotes humility,” shows like Guillermina and Candelario, Phineas and Ferb, and Anne of Green Gables (the animated series).  They write: “Developing character strengths and life skills is essential to kids’ overall growth and success. These TV shows help kids learn the value of understanding that no one is “better” than anybody else. The character strength of humility surfaces in these shows by being intrinsic to the story and being repeated several times in the actions of a lead character, and it “wins” over character flaws such as excessive pride.”

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “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 18:9-14 ESV)

The Pharisees have not understood the two phases of the kingdom and they do not recognize their need for forgiveness.  So Jesus tells a parable about a Pharisee in comparison to a tax-collector and how each of them approaches God.  The Pharisee exalts himself before God, exalts his ability to be righteous and does not ask for forgiveness.  The tax-collector begs for mercy.  Jesus’ declaration that the tax-collector was justified (declared righteous by God) is a slap in the face to self-righteousness.

Self humbling will lead to exaltation.  This principle is found throughout the Old Testament (1 Samuel 2:1-11, for example).  Jesus will prove this to the maximum when he humbles himself by allowing himself to be crucified.  As a result he will be exalted and given a name above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord (Philippians 2:5-11).  His path is our path.