Two Men Prayed

Two men prayed in the long ago,

Two men, much like the men we know:

One man prayed with his head held high,

With a square-set jaw and a tearless eye;

Convinced that his was a righteous cause,

He thanked the Lord for the man he was.

So, satisfied, he turned away,

The self-same man who had paused to pray.

The second prayed, his head bent low:

Heavy his heart, and full of woe.

He smote his breast as he spoke this word:

“Be merciful to a sinner, Lord.”

And God, who delights to forgive and bless,

Credited him with righteousness.

A guilty sinner, he paused to pray;

A justified saint he walked away.

Two men prayed in the long ago,

Two men, much like the men we know;

Two men facing eternity;

Which is like you? Which is like me?

by Barbara C. Ryberg