Thought for the Month - “Two Men Went Up….”

"Two men went up into the Temple to pray ." A story so well known that it needs no repetition. Yet how often do we stop to consider whether we ourselves are become like the man who, fasting twice in the week and giving tithes of all he possessed, found cause for glory, not in his separateness to God, but in his separateness from his fellow-men. "I thank thee that I am not as other men." What a miserable confession to make. In looking upon his fellows he saw nothing to emulate, no characteristics or virtues which he could desire for himself, but only the sordid evidences of evil. The reign of sin and death was a very real thing to this Pharisee; and with an exquisite nicety he carefully dissociated himself from it all and explained to the Almighty that, living perforce in an evil world and amidst sinful men, he was nevertheless not of them nor with them, and that he at least was one to whom had come the superior inward knowledge which rendered him a fit companion for the One Who dwelt in the inner sanctuary.

We read the story and we smile pityingly at the vivid picture of this pompous Israelite, and mentally place ourselves with the publican standing afar off, as we continue our reading. But what of the lesson behind the parable? Is it not true that at times in the Christian life we find ourselves thanking God that we are not as other men. Does it not happen that this separateness to God which we call consecration can degenerate into a smug and self-satisfied separateness from the world. And worse still, at times the suggestion is made that in this latter day when the purpose of God in calling from the nations a people for His name seems to be on the brink of completion, a still more exclusive and narrow-minded outlook is called for ‑ to wit, that our age-old mission as witnesses of Jesus and ministers one to the other must be abrogated in favour of an individual contemplation of the sacred mysteries and a refusal to extend the privilege of fellowship and the Word of Life to all but the favoured few who are accepted as being likewise the "sealed of God". Alas; that the fruit of a one-time zealous response to be "not conformed to this world" should be, not a transforming by the renewing of the mind, with all the light of spiritual understanding that transformation can bring, but a gravitation to the lowest depths of bigotry, of self-delusion, of the spiritual blindness which separation from our fellows must mean when we are not separated to God. No matter how discouraging our experiences with those to whom we bear the Word of Life ‑ no matter how disappointing our efforts to serve and strengthen our brethren ‑ we must not become narrow or bigoted. We are exhorted to be sure of our foundation and to have a reason for the faith that is in us. We are expected to be rooted and grounded in the knowledge that has come our way and we are warned not to compromise our understanding of Divine Truth for the sake of outward harmony. But above all things we are impressed, time and again, with the necessity for continual progress and advancement in our personal understanding of Truth. There may be things upon which various disciples do not see eye to eye, and because of differences of thought there must upon occasion be a physical separation into groups for orderly worship and service. But that mystic common union which binds together all who truly name the Name of Christ transcends such temporary divisions and triumphantly demonstrates the fulfilment of the Saviour's prayer "I will that they may be one." Stand upon this sure foundation, and we shall have cause to rejoice, not in works of righteousness that we have done, but in that common standing in Christ which is our privilege and seal of Divine sonship.