Improve Your Standing

Luke 14:11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Jesus has a lot to say about humility. Often we do not fully understand it. Humbling ourselves may sound like becoming a milk toast wallflower never accomplishing anything and not being recognized for the little we do. In our competitive world, it might seem like Jesus does not even want us to get in the game. However, Jesus raised a team of world changers who had to face a great deal of opposition head on for his message to get out, and get out it did. His followers had to get noticed, have credibility, and be heard. So, what is this humility Jesus wants?

The parable Jesus tells in Luke 14:7-11 describes someone who picks out the best place for himself. The person sought his own honor and glory in front of all of the other guests. The irony is that the host did not want him in the best place – that was saved for someone else. So, instead of getting the glory he sought, the presumptuous man was humiliated, while the humble man who seated himself in the lowliest place had his standing raised in the eyes of all when the host invited him to the place of honor.

Note that the honored man attended the banquet. He did not reject the invitation to sit at the place of higher honor. True humility is not denying the gifts and talents God has given, but it is allowing others to recognize them. I am sure you know people like the first guest. They are always promoting themselves, afraid they will wind up in obscurity if they do not toot their own horn. They fight to get their way. They do not hesitate to put others down to make themselves look better. Yet, in the end, how do they look? What do you think about those kind of people? Jesus’ words are still true – selfishly fight to promote yourself and most others will probably think you a jerk; honor others first and you will be respected and sought out.