Jesus continued to draw a picture of both
the beggar and the Giver.
The widow's story was given to the disciples.
The next story was given directly to the proud.

He also told this parable to some people
who trusted in themselves that they were righteous
and viewed others with contempt.
NAS

Two men went up to pray . . . .

The Pharisee took his stand ostentatiously and
began to pray thus before and with himself:
"God, I thank You that I am not like the rest of men . . . ."
Amplified Bible 

Then he listed all the men to whom he was superior
including a tax collector he saw nearby.

His little god of self praised his deeds and
flattered his notions. No voice of the True God
was heard and his pompous prayers gained nothing
from heaven for he needed nothing from God.

He had no need of God so he had no God.
God is God only to those
who need Him desperately to be God.

But the tax collector, (merely) standing at a distance,
would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but kept
striking his breast, saying, O God, be favorable, (be
gracious, be merciful) to me, the especially wicked
sinner that I am!

I tell you, this man went down to his home justified
(forgiven and made upright and in right standing
with God), rather than the other man;
for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled,
but he who humbles himself will be exalted.

The sinner prayed in despair - not self pity for his lot -
but anguish for his sin. And on him, the Father poured
the mercy he required but more, even more grace.
The sinful beggar was received but also given the
righteousness he painfully lacked.

The widow was utterly without protection.
The tax collector was destitute of righteousness.

Both as shameless paupers, received Kingdom outpouring.
The beggar who will beg evokes the God who gives
and no need is outside God's Kingdom assets.

Copyright © 2003 Martha Kilpatrick