Id, ego, super-ego
God

The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity — greedy, dishonest, adulterous — or even like this tax collector. But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former

Id, ego and super-ego are the three parts of psyche as defined by Sigmund Freud. The three are said to interact and their interaction results in our attitudes and behaviors.

The id is instincts, our uncontrolled wants. It is all the things we would do if we lived an uncontrolled life. I want cake. I’m going to eat cake till I get sick. I don’t care because I want.

The super-ego is said to be the set of controls we impose through critical and moral evaluation of our lives. The super-ego tells us that eating cake, while pleasurable, must be done in moderation. The super-ego tells us to avoid gluttony and greed, to be reasonable, to share our cake, to do the right thing so we don’t get sick.

The ego is that realistic part of our psyche that mediates between uncontrolled desires and the balance imposed by the super-ego. We can have our cake, but just the right amount.

Jesus shows us two people, coming into the temple. The Pharisee’s id is urging him on to self-righteousness. He’s blurting out all the great things he’s done. He hasn’t examined himself at all. He’s all about the cake – he knows he’s going to heaven and he’s absolutely sure about it – or so his id tells him. You’re great – nothing else matters. He is all pride and arrogance before God.

The tax collector knows that his id leads him to do wrong things. He has certainly stolen, overcharged people, and likely spent his ill-gotten gains partying. Then his super-ego – his conscience – the voice of God in his heart kicks in – and he realizes he has done wrong.

The tax collector comes back, seeks God, and desires forgiveness. He seeks proper balance in line with God’s desires for him. He presents himself before his Judge and begs freedom from his sin.

The id, ego, and super-ego are a theory. We know as Christians that we are to subject ourselves to discernment, following God’s way. We will not always control our unbridled desires; or live justly with the love and goodness God asks of us. When we fail we must listen to our conscience and like the tax collector reach out to our Judge in humility. Then, as Jesus promises, we will be justified and welcomed home.

We are called to be
shrewd stewards

And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”

Today’s story is an intriguing tale of master and servant, and money and sly dealing. A steward who is about to be fired curries favor with his master’s debtors by forgiving some of their debts. Jesus seems to be commending dishonest behavior.

Jesus’ target audiences are two groups of people who he had been addressing over the three passages from Luke we have listened to over the past three weeks – one that was despised and frowned upon by society and another that enjoyed much honor and respect. Both shared this common love– amassing wealth.

The openly corrupt tax collectors Jesus had been spending time with are referred to as ‘children of this world;’ the Pharisees who fanatically kept the Law, believing it to be the ‘Light of Life,’ are described as ‘children of light.’

The taxmen had no qualms about adopting dishonest means but were known for their liberal spending habits and for using ill-gotten wealth freely to gain favors and friends. The Pharisees amassed wealth through legally right ways but were known to be tightfisted with their hard-earned money.

The tax collectors are commended for their worldly shrewdness. Jesus is speaking to them about giving up dishonest ways – to be shrewd in a new way, so they would receive heavenly treasures. The latter are commended for their honesty and advised to freely use money to gain the friendship of saints who would welcome them into ‘eternal dwellings,’ when their legalistic righteousness fails to gain them salvation.

Jesus calls both groups to break free from the love of money and seek God with an undivided heart. The Pharisees who loved money heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. Though there is no mention of how the taxmen responded, we have reasons to believe that the likes of Matthew and Zacchaeus, both tax collectors, were converted by this teaching.

The lesson is clear. The servant who is about to lose his job knows exactly what he needs to do to get himself into another job and a secure his future.

The steward was shrewd in taking care of himself. Jesus commends his shrewdness to us.

We are to be shrewd in taking care of our faith. We need to reflect on our failings, our sin, and be shrewd in doing what is necessary to gain heavenly treasure. We need to avoid legalism and scrupulosity and truly live generously in the light of Christ.