You will not understand the beauty of salvation until you understand your need for it. Jesus tells a parable about a man who had a remarkable track record for keeping God's law. He was a Pharisee. he prays with gratitude and he highlights the good he does. In contrast, a lowlife man stands next to him with nothing to say to God except to plead for mercy. he is a tax collector. They both pray. Jesus declares the tax collector justified, rather than the Pharisee. At face value, this should be shocking. And this is shocking because it assaults our religious sensitivities. The tax collector's perception of his need is evidence of the gracious work of God in his heart. It should be clear that the Pharisee is not loving his neighbour- rather he is looking down on him. Imagine a criminal convicted in court for breaking a law. Yet he argues that he does obey his own personal law, therefore the law of the land doesn't apply to him. This is what the Pharisee is doing. The only difference between the Pharisee and the tax collector is their understanding of the basis of their standing before God. The beauty of the beggarly heart is that it comes from God.