The Church Pastor and the Crack-Addicted Prostitute

Two people were praying, one a church pastor and the other a crack-addicted prostitute.

The church pastor prayed, “God, I thank you that I am not like other people – alcoholics, pornography viewers, participants in pre- and extra-marital sex, gamblers, liars, and sinners.

I am an expert in the many rules of Christian living, and I know all the Do’s and Don’ts for Christians. I am active in discipling those in my church to ensure that they are growing more and more like me in their Christian walk. As the ‘accountability partner’ of many in my church, I ensure that my people are held accountable for all their sins and un-Christian thoughts. While I definitely do not partake in that evil computer service called Facebook, I make sure that members of my church keep me informed of what sinful words are being written and posted by other members of my church, so I can keep them accountable for all their Facebook actions. I keep myself holy and demand that my disciples are holy like me as well.

I prevent myself from being contaminated by the evil world by ensuring that I only associate with non-Christians when I am preaching to them about their sins, and telling them they need to join my church. I avoid the sinful television, radio, and print media of the world, and I definitely do not get involved in that devil’s den of lustful pornography called the Internet. I never buy lottery tickets, and I prohibit members of my church from participating in this debauchery as well.

I have never been to, and I will never go to Las Vegas or Macau. Christians are not allowed to go to Las Vegas or Macau. Everyone in Las Vegas and Macau will all be consumed by the fire of hell. I will rejoice on the day when these cities of sin, and all the sinners within, are destroyed in righteous and holy judgment.

I am especially proud of the work I do as mentor of the young boys at my church. I meet with these boys regularly as a group or one-on-one, raising them to be like me when they grow up. As a fatherly figure, I enjoy knowing these boys. It gives me great satisfaction to make them holy like I am.”

At the same time in Las Vegas, a crack-addicted prostitute stood in a dark street corner. Keeping her eyes on the ground, she whispered, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”

I am telling you the truth, the crack-addicted prostitute was right with God, and not the church pastor.

Jesus said, “everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Adapted from Luke 18:9-14)

“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12)

Tags: accountability, addicted, Christian, church, crack, discipleship, facebook, humble, hypocrisy, Internet, legalism, lottery, Macau, mercy, partner, pastor, Pharisee church pastor, pornography, prayer, prostitute, Vegas