2006-06-03- Your Resume

Installment 1 - Originally Published 2002-11-09

Hello My Friends,

Recently I was asked the question "How do you identify yourself? What does your resume say about you?"

When I thought about this question, I was quick to answer:

• Child of my Lord
• Christian
• Teacher
• Leader in the church
• Student
• Computer Technician
• Servant
• Friend
• Prayer Warrior (Am I?)
• Bible-Reader (Am I?)

I thought that was pretty good, until I read the resume of two men Jesus tells us about in the book of Luke Chapter 18.

Luke 18:10-13 - Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess." And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto Heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, "God be merciful to me a sinner." (KJV)

It should be noted that the KJV incorrectly renders "publican" the Greek word translated "tax collector" (tax gatherer, NASB). Publicans were wealthy men, usually non-Jewish, who contracted with the Roman government to be responsible for the taxes of a particular area of the imperial Roman State, and were often backed by military force. Tax collectors, as referred to in the New Testament, were Jews employed by publicans to do the actual collecting of monies in the restricted areas where thy lived. They could be seen in the temple (Luke 18:13) and were usually not very wealthy - with the possible exception of Zacchaeus. The people from whom they collected taxes knew them. They were classified as "sinners" (Matt 9:10-11; Mark 2:15), probably because they were allowed to gather more than the government required and then to pocket the excess amount.

Think about this until the devotional continues next week.

From the hearts of these two guys, what do you think their resumes would look like?

In Christ,
Rob

cfrobw@aol.com

Rob - I want my life just to be for the glory of God in Christ Jesus