COUNTER CULTURAL COUNSEL
Luke 14:7-11 NKJV
7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places, saying to them: 8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more honorable than you be invited by him; 9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you. 11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
If you think this to be a short devotional, you are correct. I am writing this after our Easter services, and the need for brevity is directly related to my need for a post-Easter nap. We are grateful for the five services over Easter weekend and all the people that contributed to making these services happen.
Jesus is giving an object lesson to the people He observed jockeying for the best places at the wedding feast. Shouldn’t everyone want the best place? Jesus’ answer is a bit counter cultural. To a self-promoting culture, Jesus’ wisdom of taking the lowest place had to sound bizarre. It wasn’t that someone should never sit in the best seat; it’s just that putting yourself in the best seat is the problem. Evidently, the Jewish culture of that day was like the self-promoting culture of our day. And it’s not really the culture; it’s the human nature of our flesh.
Our fleshly nature wants to be celebrated and exalted. But when we follow that nature, it does not always lead to the best place. Over the years, I have watched as others exalted and promoted themselves, and in many cases, things did not turn out well. There is a big difference in exalting yourself and when God exalts you. When God exalts you to an elevated place you stand a much better chance of staying there. Way too often, people are elevated by man to a position that their character cannot keep them.
So what is the answer to not exalting yourself? How does one survive in our current environment of “promote thyself lest thou not be promoted?” The answer is simple; the execution is challenging. Humility. Humility says I will do my best to not promote myself and trust the Lord to exalt me. The opposite of humility is pride, and we know that pride precedes a fall. Humility may be the longer path to arriving at the place God has for you. But it’s the safer path. Remember, according to James 4:10, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up.” And when God lifts you, the view is better and longer lasting.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, for Your grace. You give grace to the humble so I would like to apply. Show me what true humility looks like.