May 11: Be Merciful to Me
You don’t need eloquent words to tell God the truth.
“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!’”
Jesus told this parable to people who trusted in their own goodness and looked down on everyone else. Two men went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, respected and religious. He stood and listed his accomplishments. He fasted. He tithed. He thanked God he wasn’t like other people.
The other was a tax collector, a man everyone knew had cheated his neighbors. He stood far off. He wouldn’t even look up. He beat his chest and said only this: God, be merciful to me, a sinner.
Jesus said the tax collector went home right with God, rather than the other.
That’s good news for anyone working Step Five. You don’t have to have your words polished. You don’t have to explain everything perfectly. You don’t have to defend yourself. Honest, humble words are enough.
Notice what the Pharisee did. He compared himself to others. At least I’m not like that guy. It’s easy to slip into that during Step Five too. To soften your wrongs by pointing out that other people did worse. But the tax collector didn’t compare. He just told the truth about himself.
When you sit down with your listener, you might feel like that man standing far off, eyes on the floor. That’s all right. You’re in good company. Jesus said that’s exactly the kind of person God lifts up.
Humility isn’t thinking badly of yourself. It’s seeing yourself honestly, as someone who needs mercy, and receiving it.
There’s one more detail worth noticing. The tax collector stood far off, but he still came to the temple. He didn’t stay home because he felt unworthy. He showed up as he was. That’s the whole invitation. Show up, tell the truth, ask for mercy. God does the rest.
Your Step Five can begin the same way. You might even open the conversation with your listener by praying this one line together.
One thing today
Pray the tax collector’s prayer several times today, slowly: God, be merciful to me, a sinner. Let it be enough.
A prayer
God, be merciful to me, a sinner. I don’t have fancy words. I just have the truth. Thank You that You hear the humble and lift them up. Amen.
On humility and honesty: Step Five.
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