True of Heart

Jesus began telling them a parable, and everyone knew the ending already. There was a Pharisee and a tax collector. Of course, the Pharisee is the protagonist, the main character, the hero who obeys the law, is worthy of praise, is a leader in the community, respected and for good reason, and surely is worthy of being in the courts of the Temple, welcome to come close to God. And, the foil, the opposite, the antagonist who cheats the people, lies and schemes for his own benefit, a traitor of his own people, is the tax collector, after all he has agreed to work for the enemy, the occupation, the Romans.

Like he is setting up a good joke, Jesus says, “So, a Pharisee and a tax collector come to the Temple. The Pharisee stands in the center of the courtyard, alone in his spotlight, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
He’s pretty impressive – and he knows it, a righteous man in comparison to other men.

“But the tax collector stood at a distance.; he knew better than to get too close to the presence of the Lord. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

He’s pretty pitiful – and he knows it, a corrupt, debased, degenerate, depraved, reprobate, unscrupulous, vile, offensive, sinful man.

Jesus’ hearers are all nodding at this point. What will the punch line be that lets them all laugh and let out a little of their frustration at the Romans and the traitors in their community who have agreed to work for them. They expected Jesus to make the comparison, but the conclusion comes as a complete shock. I tell you that this man, the tax collector, rather than the other, the Pharisee, went home justified before God.

He doesn’t say that the Pharisee is not righteous. He doesn’t argue that they are wrong in their conclusions about him, or that he is BAD for what he has done. He is not justified. To be justified is to be righteous in the sight of God. He, and they, have been comparing him to other people, and by that measurement he is pretty good, but compared to God, none of us is righteous.

Of course, because we know the whole story, it is easy for us to see how arrogant the Pharisee is, how prideful. And it is easy for us to see how humble the tax collector is, as he beats his breast. We hear Jesus’ message, and are able to see how we are like the tax collector. Who of us can imagine acting as haughty at church as the Pharisee does!

And that is why this passage is over, and over again, described by scholars and ministers as impossible to preach. Because as soon as we look at the Pharisee and are thankful we are not like him, we are just like him. As soon as we look around and judge who is in God’s favor and who is out, as soon as we categorize people as less than, as soon as we stand proud and look down, as soon as we are thankful that we are not dealing with THAT… we have exalted ourselves.

We may not say we think others are beyond God’s grace or sinners, but we make comparisons. We notice that we have made good choices, and we wonder what choices they made that led to their situation. We notice that we are doing well, and we feel good about it, and a little sad for those who are not doing so well.

As we enter stewardship season, there will be folks who struggle with how little they are able to give and folks who proudly bring forward their pledge card. It isn’t about what you put on that card that is important. It is your heart as you fill it out and bring it.

There was nothing wrong with the Pharisee’s actions, but they were all about him. His motive was to earn his place, to do what God required. He came to the Temple when he was supposed to – he had a star in every box on the attendance chart. He had a pin for his work with the less fortunate and a certificate for his excellence in Scripture memorization. But he was locked in, caged by, self-interest and self-focus. Jesus didn’t condemn what he had done, in fact, he doesn’t even say that the man wasn’t righteous. The way he has lived is commendable, if his motivations had come from a true heart.

Conversely, there was nothing right with the tax collector’s actions. He is as sinful as he knew himself to be, and probably as far from righteous as the Pharisee judged him to be. And yet, Jesus did not condemn him. Jesus said, that day, he left the Temple and walked home justified, right with God, righteous in God’s eyes, because his focus was on God, and not on himself.
We are all sinners. Not one of us is able to earn our righteousness, so we all need God’s mercy. We all are in need, like the sparrow in the Psalm Becky read this morning, of finding here a safe place to make our home; like the swallow, we all are seeking to find here a place to make our nest, a place to grow, to be nurtured and to nurture.

May we be true of heart, focused on God and not ourselves.

Over the years, I have shared with you before, that people have asked me about tithing, whether the 10% is based on net income, or if pre-tax savings accounts are included, or if it is based only on adjusted gross income. Biblically, the tithe is just the start of giving. 10% of all was to be brought to offer God as first-fruits, and then alms were the gifts of the heart, given for those in need or special concerns. But none of that is the point. We give sacrificially because it breaks us out of our prison of self-interest, and allows us to focus on God instead of ourselves. When we come with our offering and truly approach God confessing, “This is not enough, but it is what I have and I freely offer it to you with joy” – then we walk away justified.

The same is true for the work of the church. I have called people and asked them to volunteer before and they have said to me, “If you get desperate, call me and I’ll do it.” I never call them again, because their heart is not in it. Volunteering at church is not filling a slot or plugging a hole, it is an opportunity to serve God, to offer God what you have been gifted. One of my favorite ways to talk about giftedness and how to know where to get involved in service is a quote of Presbyterian pastor Frederick Buechner. He wrote, “The place God calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet.”

It might be that you have been gifted with time to call people and check on them – you never have to come to the church for a meeting, and you can engage in a vital ministry. There are folks who write notes every month to folks who are not able to be here in person or who are sick. It might be that you are handy with tools or know about getting bids or have an eye for design – be part of Property and Grounds and of caring for God’s home where we are gathered in his presence. It might be that you love kids or are great at organizing large gatherings – be part of Congregational Life or Christian Education. It might be that you are pulled by the pain in our world to bring healing – get involved with Service. You don’t have to be invited. You don’t have to have incredible gifts that no one else has to share.

When we come with our lives and our offerings, and truly approach God confessing, “Have mercy on me, I don’t have it all together, and I won’t do everything I feel like should be done or maybe even could be done, but I will give my best effort for you, God” – then we are true of heart – our deep gladness and the world’s deep hunger meet – and we walk away justified, right with God. May it be so for the tax collectors in our world and the Pharisees, for me and for you. Amen.