2022.10.23 Naked Humility, Lyn G. Brakeman, Spiritual Lemons, blog post

I’m spiritual, not stupid.  

You know this story in the Bible (New Testament Luke 18) about these two guys in the same holy Temple—both praying. One’s a Pharisee, respected religious leader of his day. The other’s an unpopular tax collector. Already we’re into stereotypes. It’s a set up. 

Then we listen in on each one’s prayers. The Pharisee thanks God that he is so holy and rich and lofty and so much better than the other scum of a guy. The other just asks for God’s mercy to forgive him all his sins. Now which guy do you think gets points for humility? Right, the sobbing sinner.  What think you?

Well, it’s in the HOLY BIBLE, you whine. So yes, we take it seriously—but not stupidly. 

Both of these praying men tell God exactly how they feel. Both of them tell the truth, the inmost truth. Neither lies. I’m grateful for all my wealth and hard work and disgusted at this other poor slob who is crying for mercy all the time, says the Pharisee. I’m scared and worried all the time that I’m unworthy, worthless, and unpopular. No one likes me, even God, says the tax collector.  

Both prayers are emotionally honest. And both are humble if that means simply telling yourself and God exactly what’s on your mind—your truth, your truth right now. That’s not easy to do. Prayer is come-as-you-are. To stand naked of soul before God is humble, even if what you say gets condemned by yourself or others, and you decide that such condemnation is of God. It’s not. Judgments, positive or negative, imposed from without, even those put into the mouth of Jesus, as Luke does for his own purposes here, cause us to feel either superior or inferior. That’s not God’s assessment. It’s ours. Simply so.

Be spiritual, not stupid. 

Neither beg nor brag, just be. 

Stand naked of soul before God.