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THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX
COLLECTOR
“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.”
We often believe accomplishing a given task
will hinge on our detailed expertise, knowledge and skills. We
fail to seek help from others.
My son planned to build a bridge over the
spillway of a small lake for his Eagle Scout project. About a
month before the scheduled construction, he broke his
collarbone. It became clear that this strong 16 year-old would
not be able to contribute his physical strength to the project.
The day of the project arrived. Two of his
uncles began the strenuous task of drilling several holes into
which telephone poles would be set to anchor the bridge. A large
contingent of his fellow Scouts and their parents moved the
telephone poles and other lumber to the site.
We had been told rocks sat just on the
surface. But they also were below ground. As a result, many of
our holes were not as deep as intended. Some were enlarged
beyond the optimal size. While we pondered how to ameliorate
this problem, one of the adult leaders remarked that his son’s
Eagle project had involved sinking several trail markers. He
offered a suggestion to securely anchor the supports.
Several of us devised ways of ensuring the
supports for the bridge were level across the 30-foot span. One
of the parents, who had worked summers in construction, offered
a quick and efficient way of laying out the bridge. With a work
force of eager volunteers, the bridge was efficiently
constructed.
God, grant us the humility to turn to
you for assistance we can’t provide ourselves. Amen
Ted Vlamis
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