"Mirror mirror on the wall whose the fairest of them all?" I have heard that a lot lately as I read Snow White to my girls at least once a week. The mean witch would look at that mirror all day asking the mirror to tell her how beautiful she is, pure vanity! Well, its vanity which is the theme for the parable of the Publican and the Pharisee found in Luke 18:10-14. The Pharisee prayed to God by telling God how wonderful his life was, how much he prayed, how much he gave alms, and so forth, even telling God that he was better than that poor Publican over there standing in the corner of the Temple.
And how did the Publican pray?
He simply said "God be merciful to me a sinner" a prayer of simplicity and humility.
Humility is hard to come by sometimes.
We get so wrapped up into our own psycho-dramas.
Yet this short parable reminds us about what God wants from us, not boasting, not our names on large banners, but simple service, acts of kindness, and gratitude, since after all everything we have is from him anyway.
Do you find humility a hard virtue to cultivate in your life?
