There’s a peculiar irony in how people handle brokenness. The sins and struggles that are most visible often draw the harshest judgment, while the invisible ones are quietly tolerated or even respected. We scorn the addict but admire the ambitious. We pity the divorced but envy the deceitfully content. The Church, at its best, offers grace to both. But too often, it mirrors the world’s moral hierarchy, measuring holiness by optics instead of honesty.In Luke 18:9–14, Jesus confronts that very instinct. The parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector is more than a lesson in humility. It’s a piercing commentary on how human beings misjudge righteousness. It reveals how easy it is to hide behind invisible sins like pride and contempt while condemning those whose failures are simply more public.What we see isn’t always what God sees. And what we hide isn’t always forgiven simply because it’s invisible.Two Men, Two Prayers, Two DirectionsLuke sets the stage with characteristic clarity:“He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt” (Luke 18:9, ESV).
Source: The Weight You Can’t See: Visible and Invisible Baggage in the Eyes of Grace
