(based upon the parable of the Pharisee & the tax collector)

Luke 18:10-14

It was Monday morning at six o'clock and Ralph, the head deacon of the church was there to open the doors for prayer. Normally, the pastor did this, but he was at a conference and had asked Ralph to make sure the doors were open. Although Ralph didn't like having to miss his morning coffee to open the church up, he really couldn't see any reason to tell the pastor no.

It was chilly that morning, so Ralph turned on the heater and lights, then walked around the sanctuary, picking up a few things that were left out of place from the Sunday evening service.

A few stalwart believers started trickling in, greeted Ralph, and found their normal places to pray. Amongst them was a stranger that Ralph had never seen in the church before. A tall, thin man in rather expensive casual clothes. He took a seat in the back corner of the sanctuary.

Ralph wasn't sure, but he thought he recognized the man, even though they had never met. If he was who he though he was, he really didn't belong in the church, but Ralph couldn't say that to him, especially since he wasn't sure of the stranger's identity. The pastor had this thing about letting all kinds of people in the church, even if they didn't belong there.

Being curious, Ralph slowly made his way to the corner where the stranger sat with his head bowed. As he walked behind the man, Ralph noticed a tattoo on the back of his neck, the mark of one of the most notorious gangs in his city. Seeing that, Ralph was sure who the stranger was. He was not only a member of that gang, he was their leader. Somehow, he always managed to avoid being thrown in jail, but he was rumored to be responsible for businesses being broken into, people being robbed, and several people's deaths, not to say anything about all the drugs he and his gang sold.

Ralph started for the office to call the police, but then stopped mid-stride. Although he was pretty sure who the stranger was, the man wasn't doing anything wrong, just sitting there praying; not praying very well, mind you, but praying nevertheless.

Feeling a little foolish, Ralph headed back to the sanctuary. He had finished straightening things out, so he really didn't have anything else to do. The few people who had come were still praying, and would be for a while, so he couldn't leave. With nothing else to do, he decided to pray as well.

Being careful to not disturb anyone else, Ralph walked to the altar to pray. He didn't thing it would be appropriate for the head deacon to pray sitting in a pew, and knew he wouldn't look very dignified kneeling there on the floor, so he decided to stand there, in front of the altar, while he prayed.

"Oh, most gracious heavenly Father," he began, "the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Who has sent your most beloved Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ to us. I thank you from the bottom of my heart, for You are a mighty God, You are a God of love, mercy and grace…" There were several minutes more of the same type of prayer, sounding very elegant, but lacking in heart. Finally, he ended his introduction and started talking to God.

"I thank you God that you have not made me like other men. Thank you for making me the head deacon of this church for the last 20 years. Thank you that you have raised me up and made me to be a man after your own heart. Thank you that I need not worry about my salvation, for the prayer of salvation I said 43 years ago, and the work I do in your church have assured me a place in heaven. Thank you that I am not a sinner like others, for you have made me holy, righteous, and above all temptation. Thank you that I am not a drug dealer, or a gang member, or any of the other riff-raff of our city…"

Suddenly, as he was praying, Ralph realized there was a man standing in front of him. "How dare anyone interrupt my prayers," he thought to himself, "don't they realize I'm talking to God." Looking at the man with irritation, Ralph started to pick out a few choice phrases to say to him.

Just as he was about to open his mouth, Ralph realized who was standing in front of him. It wasn't a church member interrupting his prayers, or even that drug pusher back in the corner (Ralph took a quick glance to make sure he was still there), the man standing in front of him, looked like, well he looked like the Lord Himself.

Ralph thought to himself, "The Lord must be truly pleased with me to come and visit me in this time of prayer. I'm glad the pastor asked me to open the church this morning. Otherwise, I couldn't have this opportunity."

"Ralph" the Lord said.

"Yes Lord," he answered.

"I was just listening to your prayer."

That made Ralph happy and he smiled. Out of all the people in the world who were probably praying at that moment, the Lord had chosen to listen to his prayer. "Yes, Lord," he replied.

The Lord continued, saying, "I was very disturbed by what I heard you praying, Ralph."

"How could you be disturbed by my prayer, Lord?" asked Ralph, "Weren't my words elegant enough? Didn't I say enough about how great you are? Did I make a mistake in my grammar? Everyone in the church says I pray better than anyone else."

"Ralph, Ralph, I don't listen to your words, I'm listening to your heart." Said the Lord.

That bothered Ralph. He knew his heart was pure, and said so, "Lord, what could you possibly find wrong with my heart? Why, I'll bet I have the purest heart in this city. It's probably even purer than the pastors, although I wouldn't say that to him."

"Are you so sure, Ralph? Asked the Lord.

"Of course I'm sure," he responded, "I've been serving you faithfully for 43 years. I teach the adult Sunday School class. I keep as far away from sin as I possibly can. I'm not like the other people in this church, who put on a mask of holiness to come to church. I keep myself holy all week long!"

Jesus fixed his gaze on Ralph, even more saddened by his stubborn, self-righteous statement. "Are you really sure, Ralph. What about the house you're renting to the Jameson widow and her three children."

"What does that have to do with anything?" he asked, indignantly.

"Ralph, do you think I've given you material things just for your own benefit? Asked the Lord. "You know Mrs. Jameson is poor, and can't go to work with those three small children in the house. She's your sister in the faith, you should be talking care of her. Fix the broken window; paint the house; lower her rent."

"Now wait a minute, Lord." Started Ralph. "That window is broken because her son Billy threw a baseball through it. I'm tired of fixing windows so that he can break them again. As for paint, it wouldn't do any good. Those kids would just draw pictures on the wall again. I don't see why I should do anything for a family that doesn't take care of things."

The Lord sighed, realizing that Ralph wasn't really listening to him. "Okay, Ralph, what about the pornography?"

"Pornography, what pornography?" asked Ralph in surprise. "I don't buy any of that."

"No, you don't" replied the Lord, "But, every time you're in the store, you're looking to see the magazine covers."

"Well, Lord," stammered Ralph, "it's not my fault they put those things right where you can't miss them. You've got to understand, Lord, I'm a man, and the eye is just naturally attracted to that sort of thing. But, I don't buy those things, never! But, if you want to talk to a few of the other men in the church about that, I can point you in the right direction. In fact, there's a couple of men that I'm pretty sure are living in adultery. How about them?"

"I'm not talking about the other men, Ralph, I'm talking about you." Responded Jesus, "Even if you don't buy it, you still look. And the thoughts you have when you look, why they're scandalous!"

Ralph started getting angry at that. Okay, yeah, he did see those magazines, but he didn't by them. "What were a few private thoughts, compared to men who were actually buying the stuff?" he asked himself.

As he was thinking about this, preparing his next rebuttal, the Lord interrupted him, saying: "And Ralph, what about your brother?

"My brother," asked Ralph, astonished by the thought, "Is he buying pornography?

"No, Ralph. I'm not talking about pornography, I'm talking about the bitterness you've had in your heart for the last five years."

"Bitterness, what about bitterness? I have every right to be bitter, after what that no good brother of mine did when dad died. Don't tell me about that. I'm still waiting for him to get what he deserves." Declared Ralph.

"Don't you know that your bitterness to your brother is keeping you bound up?" asked the Lord, "Why do you think you're getting arthritis, if not for bitterness?

"The doctor says my arthritis is genetic" said Ralph, dismissing the Lord's statement. "It doesn't have anything to do with my brother. Why are you worried about my supposed bitterness, anyway? After all, Joe all but killed my father with what he was doing. I don't think that last heart attack was just a coincidence. It had something to de with Joe's antics. You should be after him for killing dad."

The Lord sighed again, realizing that Ralph's pride was too great, he wouldn't listen. "Ralph," He said, with all the tenderness of a mother talking to her newborn, "you must do something about your pride. It is keeping you from being the man I created you to be."

"Pride, what pride?" asked Ralph. "I was just thanking you for making me different than other men. I know it's not by my own strength that I've become a pillar in the church, but by what you have done in me. Thank you for that. If it wasn't for what you've done in my life, instead of being the head deacon here, I might be like that drug pusher over in the corner."

At that, the Lord walked away, leaving Ralph to his pride and delusions.

Meanwhile, as all this was going on, the stranger had sat there in the corner, crying quietly. Having left His conversation with Ralph, the Lord made his way over to the man, placing his hands gently on the bowed head.

"Oh, God," the man was sobbing, "I've done so much wrong in my life. I've hurt so many people, destroyed so many lives, even killed a few. I can't take it any more. It never used to bother me, but when that little girl overdosed last night, it finally got to me. It had always been a great game, until she killed herself with drugs that I sold her. What am I going to do Lord? I can't take it any more. This is my last chance. If you don't speak to me, I'm going to kill myself."

"Be at peace," said the Lord, "I've come to be with you. I know everything you've done. I know all the people you've hurt. But, you must know, I love you as my own child. I died for you, for all the sins you've committed. Be at peace."

"What am I going to do?" asked the man, "I don't feel any peace. I couldn't sleep all night. Help me God!"

"I told you that I died for you," answered Jesus, "Accept me as your Lord and Savior, and your sins will be forgiven. You will have that peace you crave. I will make you a new creature."

"Yes, Lord!" he exclaimed, "Have mercy upon me, a sinner. I'm willing to do anything. Just take away this emptiness in my heart."

The Lord touched him again. Taking away his sins, and filling him with peace and joy. "Go, he said, be a new creation; turn away from your wicked ways, and walk with me."

Which of these two men left the church justified that day?