December 18, 2007 Luke 14:7

12/18/2007

Luke 14:7 - 11 (HCSB)

⁷He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noticed how they would choose the best places for themselves: ⁸“When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t recline at the best place, because a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by your host. ⁹The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place. ¹⁰“But when you are invited, go and recline in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ You will then be honored in the presence of all the other guests. ¹¹For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

In your professional life, have you ever noticed how people enter and sit at a big conference table? Who takes the head of the table? Is it the same person every time? Where do you sit?

Jesus watched as people entered and took places for this banquet. In that day, the seating was tied to your importance or relationship to the guest of honor. The people came in and assumed seats based on where they believed they should be (or where they desired to be). We really have no indication that anyone was bumped in this story, but it gave Jesus the opportunity to share a lesson.

Often times we think of ourselves as important or exalted in the presence of others. There are two problems with that. First of all, if others are there that are more important than us, then we become publicly debased in the sight of all. Secondly, for us to assume our importance over others means that we are looking down on someone. It is clear that Jesus intended for us to recognize the worth and dignity of all people. When Jesus took a child and said “of such is the kingdom of God,” He was challenging the social order of the day that was that children were little more than possessions and a liability until the age when a girl could be given in marriage for a dowry or when a young man could labor for the family business.

However, when we presume all others better than ourselves, two more things happen. First of all, we have given dignity to others by not imposing ourselves as superiors and secondly, if we are called to a higher seat, then we are honored in the sight of all.

I am convinced that God hates arrogance. Many of the teachings of Jesus are focused on the Pharisees and Scribes (Lawyers) who considered themselves better than others because of their learning. They made public spectacles of their supposed righteousness and had no problems with pointing out the failings of others.

If Jesus spent so much time pointing out the folly of arrogance, should we not then also learn to love what God loves and humble ourselves before others?

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