We all want to be honored, even adored, and so Jesus gave us
a prescription to obtain honor. He had been invited “to eat in the house of a
prominent Pharisee” (Luke 14:1), where He observed how the guests were trying
to compete for the places of honor at the table. This became an occasion for His
parable:
·
“When you are invited by someone to a wedding
feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished
than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to
you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to
take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest
place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up
higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with
you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:8–11 (ESV)
On the surface, it appears that Jesus had given them a useful
strategy to maximize their honor. However, His other teachings should caution
us from concluding this way. Instead, Jesus was interested in maximizing their
humility by revealing to them their self-serving, selfish motives, as the last
verse indicates.
How would this take place? As they would follow Jesus’ self-enhancing strategy, they would discover several things:
How would this take place? As they would follow Jesus’ self-enhancing strategy, they would discover several things:
·
They would feel humiliated by sitting in the most
dishonorable place at the table.
·
Only rarely would the host elevate them to the
place of honor, which would restore their pride.
·
Finally, they would find that they would be
unable to continue with this humiliating strategy. It would hurt too much.
·
Their pride and self-esteem would be crushed as
they demoted and humbled themselves.
·
They would also see how self-centered and
jealous they are.
·
With these realizations, they either will try
again to compete for the seat or honor, or they will come to their senses and
cry out in desperation for the mercy of the Lord.
This also is the main reason that our Lord had given the
Law:
·
Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks
to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the
whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human
being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of
sin. (Romans 3:19–20)
The Law is a mirror showing us who we really are. If we hear
what it is saying, it speaks about our inability to keep the Law rather than our
ability to be morally triumphant. It humbles us rather than inflating our
self-esteem. It shows us that we cannot fulfill our need for honor. Instead, we
can only truly find it in a God:
·
You prepare a table before me in the presence of
my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and
mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house
of the LORD forever. (Psalm 23:5–6)
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