Jesus said... “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour... take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, “Friend, move up to a better place...” Luke 14:7-11
Some years ago now I was asked to help out a little at a church that didn’t have a minister. I was very happy to do this, because the church was pretty healthy and, to be honest, probably didn’t really need someone like me anyway. But they were wise enough to recognise that an outsider’s view might just come in handy.
In fact, a problem arose fairly early on. A man came along who seemed to be a mature and spiritually-minded Christian. He rolled his sleeves up and got well stuck into various responsibilities, and the church was obviously pleased. Just the sort of person churches are glad to welcome!
But it wasn’t long before he made an unexpected announcement at a regular church meeting. God (so he said) had called him to be the church’s new pastor. This rather threw them off balance. Was it a wonderful answer to their prayers? - he certainly seemed completely convinced. Or was this something they should treat with caution?
When they asked my opinion I had no doubts at all: don’t touch him with the proverbial barge-pole (or words to that effect). Given that I had only met this man a couple of times, and then only fleetingly, you may feel I was rather harsh. But subsequent events showed I was right.
A clear principle was at stake: be very careful of people who push themselves forward; they are likely to be dangerous in the life of any church. Dangerous, in fact, in any area.
In Luke 14:1-11 we see Jesus, along with others, as a dinner-guest of a “prominent Pharisee”. Jesus was a great people-watcher: we can picture his eyes roaming around as he took in every detail of the scene in which he found himself. And one thing he noticed was the way his fellow-guests jostled one another for the best seats. There was a definite pecking-order on such occasions, and these people “picked the places of honour at the table.”
Whereupon he delivered a little sermon about how foolish this was. His advice was that people should “take the lowest place”. For then - who knows? - they might just experience the pleasure of being invited to “move up to a better place.”
Was Jesus really in the business of offering advice about good manners, about the social etiquette of behaviour at a posh meal? Of course not! No, Luke in fact calls his words a “parable”, suggesting that we are meant to see a deeper meaning, a meaning relating to God and his kingdom. And that deeper meaning can be summed up in one word: humility.
Jesus’ parable finishes with these words: “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” I like the way The Message puts that: “If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”
Every church is familiar with people who have a high opinion of themselves, and who get the hump when the talents they believe they have are not recognised - Why aren’t we invited to join the church’s leadership! How can the church possibly thrive while we are left on the sidelines!
What they fail to see is that if God really does want their talents to be acknowledged and used by the church, then he is perfectly capable of making that happen. Let them be patient. Let them quietly get on with “lesser” tasks. Let them have faith. You can’t force God’s hand or bounce him into doing what you want. God acts and moves in his own perfect time.
This doesn’t mean that ambition, properly understood, is wrong. Not at all. All of us do indeed have gifts and talents, and we should be keen to see those gifts and talents put to good use for God’s glory. This is exactly the point of another of Jesus’s parables, in Matthew 25:14-30, which suggests we should be truly scared of failing to fulfil our talents.
Sometimes, indeed, it is necessary to push one or two doors to see if they might open. Nothing wrong with that. Just not in the aggressive and manipulative way that man acted.
Ultimately, the message is simple: let God be God. And remember: the true way to be someone is to make yourself no-one.
Isn’t this the way of Jesus himself? - according to Philippians 2:7 he “emptied himself” or “made himself nothing”.
If that’s good enough for him, shouldn’t it be good enough also for you and me?
Lord Jesus, thank you that though you came from the glory of heaven, you were prepared to empty yourself and make yourself the lowest servant. Help me to want nothing more than to follow you in this. Amen.
Some years ago now I was asked to help out a little at a church that didn’t have a minister. I was very happy to do this, because the church was pretty healthy and, to be honest, probably didn’t really need someone like me anyway. But they were wise enough to recognise that an outsider’s view might just come in handy.
In fact, a problem arose fairly early on. A man came along who seemed to be a mature and spiritually-minded Christian. He rolled his sleeves up and got well stuck into various responsibilities, and the church was obviously pleased. Just the sort of person churches are glad to welcome!
But it wasn’t long before he made an unexpected announcement at a regular church meeting. God (so he said) had called him to be the church’s new pastor. This rather threw them off balance. Was it a wonderful answer to their prayers? - he certainly seemed completely convinced. Or was this something they should treat with caution?
When they asked my opinion I had no doubts at all: don’t touch him with the proverbial barge-pole (or words to that effect). Given that I had only met this man a couple of times, and then only fleetingly, you may feel I was rather harsh. But subsequent events showed I was right.
A clear principle was at stake: be very careful of people who push themselves forward; they are likely to be dangerous in the life of any church. Dangerous, in fact, in any area.
In Luke 14:1-11 we see Jesus, along with others, as a dinner-guest of a “prominent Pharisee”. Jesus was a great people-watcher: we can picture his eyes roaming around as he took in every detail of the scene in which he found himself. And one thing he noticed was the way his fellow-guests jostled one another for the best seats. There was a definite pecking-order on such occasions, and these people “picked the places of honour at the table.”
Whereupon he delivered a little sermon about how foolish this was. His advice was that people should “take the lowest place”. For then - who knows? - they might just experience the pleasure of being invited to “move up to a better place.”
Was Jesus really in the business of offering advice about good manners, about the social etiquette of behaviour at a posh meal? Of course not! No, Luke in fact calls his words a “parable”, suggesting that we are meant to see a deeper meaning, a meaning relating to God and his kingdom. And that deeper meaning can be summed up in one word: humility.
Jesus’ parable finishes with these words: “For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” I like the way The Message puts that: “If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.”
Every church is familiar with people who have a high opinion of themselves, and who get the hump when the talents they believe they have are not recognised - Why aren’t we invited to join the church’s leadership! How can the church possibly thrive while we are left on the sidelines!
What they fail to see is that if God really does want their talents to be acknowledged and used by the church, then he is perfectly capable of making that happen. Let them be patient. Let them quietly get on with “lesser” tasks. Let them have faith. You can’t force God’s hand or bounce him into doing what you want. God acts and moves in his own perfect time.
This doesn’t mean that ambition, properly understood, is wrong. Not at all. All of us do indeed have gifts and talents, and we should be keen to see those gifts and talents put to good use for God’s glory. This is exactly the point of another of Jesus’s parables, in Matthew 25:14-30, which suggests we should be truly scared of failing to fulfil our talents.
Sometimes, indeed, it is necessary to push one or two doors to see if they might open. Nothing wrong with that. Just not in the aggressive and manipulative way that man acted.
Ultimately, the message is simple: let God be God. And remember: the true way to be someone is to make yourself no-one.
Isn’t this the way of Jesus himself? - according to Philippians 2:7 he “emptied himself” or “made himself nothing”.
If that’s good enough for him, shouldn’t it be good enough also for you and me?
Lord Jesus, thank you that though you came from the glory of heaven, you were prepared to empty yourself and make yourself the lowest servant. Help me to want nothing more than to follow you in this. Amen.
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