First Thoughts: Here we have another lovely parable by Jesus, this one lifting up the importance of humility and poverty in spirit as we approach God. Recently I heard someone ask the question "What does it mean to be poor in spirit?" I believe being poor in spirit means that we are not independent spiritually, and we need connection with God to be whole. In this sense, then, we are all poor in spirit -- including the self-satisfied Pharisee. But, it seems, being poor in spirit is not enough; we have to recognize our poverty. The tax collector here is able to receive blessing from God because he has a sense of his own emptiness, of his own need. The Pharisee's need is just as great, but he is in denial of it. It is easy for church leaders to miss the truth of our own spiritual poverty. After all, we are so filled up with responsibilities and activity in and surrounding the church. It seems we have a lot going on! It is only in the stillness, in the quiet when our hearts finally break through all the chaos, when we can feel the depth of our need and our prayer deepens into meditative listening. So the question presents itself: Do we push our poverty aside in favor of all the busy-ness that fills us, and congratulate ourselves on being so full; or do we allow the silence to steal into our hearts, feel our emptiness, and hold it sacredly, awaiting God to give us our true fulfillment?
Teaching On Your Own: Hey, guys. I'm going on a camping trip and my backpack is full of things I need. I have the soccer trophy I won last year, and the math test I took last week which I got an "A" on, the ribbon I won for the science fair, and the amazing ceramic pot I made in art class -- lots of things that show everyone how smart and talented I am. That's important, right? Can any of you think of something else I might need? You know, I might get hungry or thirsty out there. But uh oh! I don't have any more room in my backpack. It's already too full of stuff. That's a problem, isn't it? Kind of like the problem the Pharisee had in Jesus' story today.
Jesus told a story about two men who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, who was a leader in the church and very respected by everyone. And the other was a tax collector, someone who was dishonest and disliked by his community. So when the Pharisee prayed, he stood right in the middle of everyone and thanked God for making him so great. He boasted that he always worshiped in the temple and gave his money and did everything just right. He was proud of himself and happy that he wasn't the horrible tax collector who was praying in the corner. But the tax collector was another story. He stood in a corner hoping no one would see him, and he prayed that God would forgive him for all the things he'd done. So do you know what the Pharisee's problem was? He was too full of himself, just like this backpack is too full. In fact, he was so full of himself that he didn't think he needed anything from God at all, and so he received no blessing from God -- just like I have no room for any food. But now the tax collector came with an empty heart. He knew he needed God to fill up that empty part, and so he was ready to receive a blessing. That's like having an empty backpack ready to hold the things you really need. So which is better -- to have a heart that's full of yourself, or a heart that's empty for God to fill?
Teaching As A Team:
(Leader 2 has full backpack on his back)
Leader 1: Hey, (name). You look like your backpack is pretty full.
Leader 2: It is! I'm going on a camping trip and there are lots of things I need.
Leader 1: Like what?
Leader 2: (takes backpack off back, looks inside) Well, I have the soccer trophy I won last year, the math test I took last week which I got an "A" on, the ribbon I won for the science fair, and the amazing ceramic pot I made in art class...
Leader 1: But why are you bringing all that stuff?
Leader 2: I want everyone to know how smart and talented I am, don't I?
Leader 1: Maybe. But I'm not sure you have what you really need. I mean, what happens when you get hungry? Aren't you going to want a snack?
Leader 2: Yeah, sure.
Leader 1: But you don't have any room left in your backpack for any food.
Leader 2: Hmm. I didn't think of that.
Leader 1: You remind me a little of the Pharisee in Jesus' story today. Jesus told a story about two men who went to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, who was a leader in the church and very respected by everyone. And the other was a tax collector, someone who was dishonest and disliked by his community. So when the Pharisee prayed, he stood right in the middle of everyone and thanked God for making him so great. He boasted that he always worshiped in the temple and gave his money and did everything just right. He was proud of himself and happy that he wasn't the horrible tax collector who was praying in the corner. But the tax collector was another story. He stood in a corner hoping no one would see him, and he prayed that God would forgive him for all the things he'd done.
Leader 2: Well, the Pharisee sounds kind of like a creep. How am I like him?
Leader 1: The Pharisee came to pray full of himself and how great he was -- like you carrying a full backpack. In fact, he was so full of himself that he didn't think he needed anything from God at all, and so he received no blessing from God.
Leader 2: Just like I had no room left for any food. But I bet the tax collector got a blessing.
Leader 1: You're right. The tax collector came with an empty hungry heart. He knew he needed God to fill up that empty part, and so he was ready to receive a blessing.
Leader 2: Hey, do you think you could help me empty my backpack? I think I need to make space for something I really need.
Leader 1: I think that's a great idea.
Closing Prayer: Loving God, help us to empty ourselves of all the things we don't really need, things we use to make ourselves feel better than other people. Take the empty space inside and fill it up with the one thing we all need: more love and joy. In Christ's name we pray, Amen.
Follow-Up Lesson: To reinforce this lesson in a home or classroom environment, invite the children to play-act the roles of the Pharisee and tax collector, allowing them to change up their roles so everyone gets a chance to play both parts. Then lead the children on a conversation about what it was like to be the Pharisee and tax collector. How did each of them feel about themselves in each role? Remind the children that there's nothing wrong with being happy with our gifts or accomplishments. The problems the Pharisee had were 1) he used his accomplishments to make himself more important than somebody else; and 2) he didn't realize that he still needed help and blessing from God. Every person we meet needs God's help and support, and God loves each and every person. In this way, then, everyone is equal.
For a craft idea help your children make a simple "God" pouch out of felt. Print out the activity template. (Each template contains two patterns.) Cut out the patterns and use them to cut your felt. Fold up the bottom of the felt in the direction of the arrow on the pattern, to the line on the pattern and glue the sides with fabric glue. Leave the top seam open to make the pouch. Then fold the curved part down to create a pouch flap. You can secure the flap by applying small Velcro pads on the underside of the flap and on the corresponding spot on the pouch. Using puffy paint or some other non-running ink, help the children write "My God Pouch" on the outside of the pouch. If you have extra felt material, you can allow the children to decorate their pouches. As a closing prayer, invite the children to hold their God pouches open, praying together: "I'm ready, God. Come fill me up with blessing!"
