Gospel Reading: Luke 18:9-14 (The Pharisee and the Tax Collector)

📖 The Scene

Two men go to the temple to pray—one a proud Pharisee, the other a humble tax collector.

  • The Pharisee brags: “Thank you, God, I’m not like those others.”
  • The tax collector stands back and pleads: “God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”
    Jesus says: the humble one goes home justified.

🍴 Why This Matters for Us

In the world of #FoodForSoul (and yes—zEATz’s favourite kind of soul), we often get caught in two traps:

  1. The Pharisee mindset – “Look at me, I’m doing so much.”
  2. The Tax Collector mindset – “I’m so broken I don’t even matter.”

But the Gospel isn’t about one being good and one being bad—it’s about how we see ourselves and others.
Today’s message? You’re OK. And so am I.
We aren’t perfect—but we’re loved. And we’re called to look at each other with that same love.

💬 “I’m OK, You’re OK” in Real Life

  • At work: Instead of silently comparing ourselves to the colleague who gets promoted, we can say: “You did well—and I’ll cheer you on.”
  • With friends: It’s easy to judge the one who’s struggling instead of saying: “I’m behind you. Let’s climb together.”
  • At home: The “I’m better because I behave” trap vs. the “You’re less because you mess up” trap. Jesus invites us out of both.

When we recognise our own dignity and the dignity of the other—that’s communion. That’s the Kingdom.

🥘 Parables to Chew On

  1. The One-Star Chef and the Dessert Master
    A one-star chef boasts, “My tasting menu draws thousands.” He sneers at the dessert master next door. One night, his soufflé collapses in front of critics. The dessert master quietly serves chocolate-lava cakes to guests who’ve been standing hours. Guess which house the critics praised?
    → Pride builds walls. Grace melts them.
  2. The Marathon Runner with a Backpack
    Sarah runs marathons with her backpack of achievements—medals, PRs, social media likes. She sees another runner without gear, no tags, no photos. She thinks: “Why even try?” Days later, Sarah hits burnout. The other runner keeps going—quiet, steady, cheering others on.
    → Sometimes the “charity run” mindset (helping others) wins before the “I’ll win first” mindset.
  3. The Café Table for One
    Rohan sits in a café, laptop open, coffee in hand, alone—and proud of his independence. A stranger joins him, asks if the chair’s free. Rohan’s ego says: “You’ll disturb me.” He says nothing. The stranger leaves. Later, Rohan realises: he lost a friend.
    → When we fear the “other”, we lose our communion.

✅ 3 Practical Ways to Live “I’m OK, You’re OK”

  • Compliment someone today. Not because they need it—but because they are worthy.
  • Offer help without expectation. Your time matters more than funds.
  • Celebrate someone else’s win—even when you’re trying to win too.
    Because God’s grace isn’t zero-sum.

🕊️ Final Thought

We don’t have to be perfect. We just need to be present.
So here’s the invitation:

Look at yourself. You’re okay.
Look at someone else. They’re okay too.
Together? We’re invited into Grace.

Keep the faith. Share your light. Make it a download for someone else’s heart.

a woman in red long sleeve shirt

💫 #SundayServing #ImOkYoureOk #FaithJourney #ChristianReflection #CommunityOfHope #zeatzInFaith