1 Way Only--It's All In The Attitude

It's All In The Attitude
by Kimberly B. Southall

It is very important to do your best to follow God's commands, right? Yes, of course it is. And it is very important to pray, right? Yes, of course it is. But we must be very careful that we don't become so full of pride in ourselves that we foolishly combine the two things in an extreme, like the following parable which Jesus taught:

⁹To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: ¹⁰"Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men–robbers, evildoers, adulterers–or even like this tax collector. ¹²I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' ¹³But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' ¹⁴I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." –Luke 18:9-14 (NIV)

You see, God does, indeed, want us to live according to His Word and commandments. And He does, indeed, want us to pray to Him. However, our attitude about ourselves and how we pray is of utmost importance. If we think more of ourselves than other people, then our prayers are empty ones. And eventually, God will see that we are humbled, one way or another. How much better it is when we have the attitude like the tax collector who realized that he was a sinner and needed God's mercy. God's Word tells us that when we have that sort of attitude, then we will be exalted! So, remember when you think of yourself and others and when you pray, it's all in the attitude.