The New Testament records an instance of Jesus talking about prayer in which he gives the example of two men. The first is a church elder, generally respected in the church and community, and the other is a tax collector, hated by just about everyone. 
The elder lifts his face boldly to heaven and prays loudly in thanksgiving that he’s not a nobody, not a hated person, and brags on himself in his prayer. The tax collector covers his face in shame over things he has done and begs God for mercy.
Jesus said it was the second man who went home right with God, not the first. According to the whole of Scripture, it’s always, always about what’s in the heart of a person that matters to God. Interestingly, Jesus did not excuse the sins of the second man. He said God had mercy on him, gave him forgiveness. Excusing means saying his sins didn’t matter. Forgiveness means they matter, but God chooses not to hold it against us. Big difference.
Jesus also didn’t give the second man permission to criticize the first. He just demonstrated the difference between pride and humility.
May God help you as you greet your Chunky neighbors this week to extend the mercy and grace of God. And may God help me do it, too.
Brett Campbell can be reached at brettcampbell@bellsouth.net or 601-934-0901.
