Wednesday, 3 July 2019

Between the Lines


  “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table (instead of the seat of honor). Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.” Luke 14:10

  Upon reading this passage a whole bunch of thoughts erupted because it seems to contradict many of Jesus’ other teachings. Doesn’t being honored in front of everyone seem a trifle self serving as opposed to humble? How can this passage possibly fit into being the people we are called to be?
  Hmmm…unless I am reading this from a perspective of how I would feel, how pride would work its way into my heart by being singled out. I think, if this is the case, it would be better for me to sit where I sat away from the places of honor. But that, too, can become easily prideful…”Look at how humble I am! I refused to move!”
  What a conundrum!
  Unless Jesus is referring to His humble self being honored above all others.
  The conversation with the Samaritan woman comes to mind in John 4. Jesus sat by the well, and in all humility asked her for a drink. The woman discovered He was the Messiah and raced back to tell her village. Jesus was invited to come and affirm who He was. The rest of the village soon believed He was the Messiah. A humble seat by the side of a well and a non-conforming conversation with a woman soon became a place of honor.
  Or could this be a clear depiction of what it takes to come to Jesus? When life is rife with troubles, when the soul is empty, done, lost, when our seat is at the foot of the table or under it, God comes along and says, “Friend, I have a better place for you.”
  Then our story becomes one of redemption, of being raised up. And all our friends stand witness to the changes God can and will do in our lives. And that is the greatest honor of all.

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