Jesus Teaches About Humility

Take Every Passage to Prayer - Volume 2, The Gospels
^{Tuesday August 27, 2024}

Luke 14:7-14

Father, my sinful nature is proud. I am at the center of my universe. I want to be admired, esteemed, and respected. I want to be powerful, influential, and famous. Please forgive me for any such thoughts and attitudes. Help me to walk humbly before You and before others. May it be said of me that I am a humble servant to the neediest in my community, loving them in Your name so that they encounter Your deep love for them. Amen.
Father, Jesus had a captive audience. He had been invited to dinner at the home of a leader of the Pharisees. The other guests were Pharisees and teachers of the law. Jesus was in hostile territory, dining with those who wanted to derail, if not destroy, His ministry.
It takes arrogance to attack the character, the work, and the life of another individual. One must have a feeling of superiority to judge and rebuke another person. Such was the mindset of those who dined with Jesus that evening. The text gives us evidence of this fact by telling us that the guests chose for themselves the places of honor at the table. Jesus observed their behavior and took advantage of the moment to teach them about humility.
Interestingly, Jesus did not appeal to their sense of morality. Father, He could have done so by simply telling them that humility is the right attitude to have in order to honor You. However, these men did not have the right hearts. Such counsel would have fallen on deaf ears. Instead, Jesus appealed to their pride, describing a scenario where they could be publicly humiliated if they chose not to be humble. Proud guests at a wedding who foolishly sit in the place of honor will be humiliated when the host tells them to get up because the seats are reserved for more deserving guests. Jesus told them it is better for their reputation to sit in the least important seat and then to be publicly invited to move up to the seat of honor with everyone watching.
In Matthew 10:16, Jesus tells us to be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves. That verse precisely describes what Jesus was doing in this passage. He knew exactly how to teach the Pharisees at the table, appealing to their pride. In front of a godly audience, Jesus may have encouraged the people to please You by being humble before others. The believer in Jesus Christ also needs to be shrewd, carefully considering the right message and the correct actions for the specific people they are with. There is no place for believers to be irresponsibly spontaneous in ministry.
Our 21st century culture teaches us that it is everyone’s purpose in life to exalt themselves. Jesus teaches us here that the exact opposite is true. Those who exalt themselves on earth will be insignificant throughout eternity. Those who live humble lives on earth will be exalted throughout eternity. Revelation 19:9 tells us that there will be a wedding supper of the Lamb, when Jesus dines with all believers throughout the ages. Who will sit closest to Him? Those who lived humble lives serving Him on earth.
The conversation had been about how guests should behave when they are invited to a gathering. Jesus now turns the focus to those who host gatherings and invite guests to attend.  What does humility look like for someone hosting an event? A proud host invites only the elite. Such a host invites the famous, the powerful, the influential, and the wealthy. Such a host desires to become friends with the “beautiful people”.
However, a truly humble host invites the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Such a host desires to serve. Such a host is compassionate and merciful. Such a host is generous, caring, and kind to the neediest. Father, though such guests cannot repay the kindness of the host, You will bless them for their humble heart in Your Kingdom. Such acts of kindness will be fully rewarded by You in eternity. Amen.