Luke 18:9-14
The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector
9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
Sometimes I wonder if pride, arrogance, and being selfish trick one into a different confidence level, which makes them feel stronger and more competent than they really are...And pride and arrogance may make us think we are wiser than others, and even better than others...And these things of pride, arrogance, and selfishness can move us further away from our Father, and thus lessen our faith...However, humility is more a source of strength and competence than pride and selfishness...One with humility can look to God and admit his inequities...They can love and be loved easier than the one who is full of pride and arrogance, because they are not burdened with being selfish...So they think more about others...
And being humble helps us in our faith...As Jesus tells us about the humble taxpayer, God is listening to him, and he is the one who will go home more justified before God, than the Pharisee...So from a personal faith standpoint and our closeness to our Father, all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted...