Sitting in Reserved Seats Luke 14

Had my toes stepped on today, Jesus did the stepping.  It’s better that we should not think of ourselves so highly for whatever reason.  It’s better for the Lord to exalt us from a state of humility, than it is for Him to humble us from a state of pride.  Jesus watched how invited guests chose their seating at a certain banquet.  Some folks scrambled to the best seats in the house, while others filled into the lower less honorable seats.  But when an honorable guest came to the banquet, the host of the feast had to ask someone in the better seats to step down, and humiliatingly took a lower seat in front of the other guests.  However honorable guests who first took the lower seats are exalted when the host of the banquet came to offer more privileged seating.  (Luke 14:1-11)

We don’t have to attend banquets to find the meaning of this story manifested in our daily lives. If we truly think of others better than ourselves, how differently would our actions look like out doing errands and talking to people?  At the store?  At church? Discipling others? Teaching others? While driving?

Being humble isn’t easy, and thinking that we are humble is truly conceited.  I’ve been analyzing my mental attitudes that last few weeks in passing situations. I find I naturally go for the best seats of the situation, quick to overlooking others, and esteem myself more honorable than those passing by.

Jesus also instructed us in a figure of speech to invite those to dinner who would be unable to repay the kindness.  Folks like the blind, death, and crippled who are least likely to return any sort of benefit.  I’m glad Jesus had that kind of love to do that for me.  Indeed I am the crippled one who could never repay Him, yet if it were not for His humility and compassion, where would I be still? How would the Lord respond to those who at first received such grace,  but are not yet able to render it again to those whom The Lord loves? (Luke 14:12-14)

Thank you, Lord!  Help me to give to others as you have so freely given to me!