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Will you be a Pharisee or a Tax collector?

March 14, 2026

Hosea 6:1-6 | Luke 18:9-14 | Psalm 51:15-20

Luke 18:9–14

He [Jesus] told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, `God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, `God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his home justified rather than the other; for all who exalt themselves will be humbled, but all who humble themselves will be exalted.”

It’s important that we do not put ourselves above other people, that’s a sign of ‘VANITY’ and PRIDE. Vanity is very unbecoming in the eyes of your fellow man. Pride is one of the 7 deadly sins.

PRIDE is defined as the following: Pride – ‘excessive love of self, often considered the root of all other sins.’

            ‘The virtue is humility.’

            ‘Our own greatness or excellence.’

Just because you may have a higher status in life, it doesn’t mean that you have to go around telling others that you’re better than them.

            Look at your time in high school.

            Were you among the ‘popular kids’?

            Were you a ‘wallflower’?

            Were you ‘invisible’ to the rest of the student population?

No matter where you fit in or didn’t fit in, you were still LOVED by GOD.

My time in high school was ‘UNEVENTFUL’.

I was not in the ‘popular kids’ group.

I was not in the ‘wallflower’ group.

I was, in fact, a member of the ‘INVISIBLE’ group.

I was a member of almost every band group, from concert band (my first years in high school), to Symphonic band (later in high school), to marching band (all of my years in high school), and to the award winning Jazz Ensemble (most of my years in high school).

No matter which musical group I was in at the time, I didn’t let it go to my head. Even when the Jazz Ensemble won a music competition at Berklee School of Music; it didn’t go to my head. It didn’t change me, I was still ‘INVISIBLE’ to the student population.

During my high school years, I was very active within the church. At the time, I was an acolyte. During that time, my dad and I both served on the altar. Dad as a LEM and me as the acolyte.

I’ve never thought of myself as being vain. I’ve always tried my best to help others in their quest to find GOD. I started a ministry after my dad’s passing, because I needed something to help me process his passing. So I started making CRUCIFIXES for anyone that wanted or needed one. I’ve made close to 375 to 400 crucifixes. Each one is made by my own hands and is made special for whomever is getting it. All are made in HONOR of my dad. Each one lets me get closer to GOD and each one HELPS me keep the MEMORY of my dad ALIVE in my HEART.

What I’ve told you about my high school years and the making of the crucifixes, isn’t being vain, it’s telling you of my history. At no point, in my life have I ever thought that I have been better than anyone else. In fact, just the opposite is true, I’ve felt that others are better than myself. Just because it took me longer to get out of high school, and it took me longer to get my college degree, and it took me longer to find that special person in my life. Doesn’t make me better than anyone else.

And I know that during all of my past life events, GOD has LOVED me, for me, not for who I pretend or think I am.

So the question I will ask you is as follows:

When you meet GOD, Will you be a Pharisee or a Tax collector?

Because GOD knows you by name and by your actions in life.

David Clifton