It's Ok to Be Broken

 Luke 18:9-14

9 Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 13 And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ 14 I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Have you ever felt like you just weren't good enough?  That you have tried and tried to be the best Christian you can be but you still fall short from what you read in the Word of God?  Are you upset because you catch yourself falling here and there and it seems like you don’t have it together while others around you seem to be so holy and on it?   If you do, good.  That’s where you need to be, and that’s a great sign that you belong to the King. 

Don’t pay so much attention to the ones around you though.  Everyone’s relationship with the Lord Jesus is at different levels.  Even the disciples themselves were at different places with the Savior but He loved them all the same.  Some were so close though that they went with Him to the Transfiguration, or even so close that the disciple John described Himself as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”

We have to remember as well, that while some people may put on a good show, that doesn’t necessarily mean their walk is as perfect as you may think.  We experience a lot today of what Jesus experienced in Luke 18:9.  There are many, and sadly, I feel that maybe at times I have been one who, “trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others.”  Did you read that verse carefully?   First, they were not righteous?  Why?  They trusted in themselves.  Scripture is clear that none is righteous, no not one, when based on our own merit and strength.  Our righteousness is only found and imputed on us by Jesus Christ.  Look what happens as a result of such an attitude as well.  “They despise others.”  Have you ever been, seen, or maybe you currently attend a church and it seems like there is really nothing done to spread the gospel?  That it seems more like a country club than an actual church?  Do you see the pastor only preaching on Sunday’s and never hear of him or see him preaching or sharing the gospel outside of the walls of the church?  Do you see the leaders of the church only on Sunday’s but never see any action?  How about you?  That may just be the beginning warning signs, but let me ask you this.  On Sunday’s or whenever you gather, do those same people who seem not to be active any other time, openly criticize, gossip, and even slander others while in the presence of believers on those days?   Do those same folks wag their heads in shame over the lostness of their community, but it’s an expression of “shame on you” rather than actual sorrow and conviction over the loss of their community?  Then they have fallen into the trap of the Pharisees that Christ was teaching too.

You can say, “But Andy, they have it all together.  They deliver eloquent messages, have been in the church for ages, they are always at church events, they are a staple.”

I understand that.  Read what the Pharisee said in the temple though, “The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ 

Just because someone goes through the motions of church does not mean that they are in the right standing.  

We need hearts like the tax collector.  Constantly beating our chests before the holy God, not even looking because of His holiness and begging for His interaction in our life because we fall short and must depend on Him.  Thank Him for even listening to us, and thank Him for justifying us even though we land where we are.

Jesus said that the tax collector went home justified and the Pharisee was not.  Justified means declared or made righteous in the sight of God.  

God wants us to humble ourselves Christian.  If you feel broken and you feel like you are not where you need to be, good.  Let that motivate you to seek the Savior more.  Let that motivate you to pray to Him more.  Let that motivate you to share His message more.  It’s not that those things will earn you anything, but as we do those things out of a loving heart, we draw closer to our Savior.  If you simply humble yourself and ask Him to draw you closer, He will. 

Don’t look at what society seems to tell us is “someone who has it together” because as Jesus pointed out, a lot of times, they don’t.