“And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room.” (Luke 14:7-9 KJV).
These parabolic verses give a lesson in humility and grace, correcting the tendency of religious and worldly groups in attendance to self promote. In a world of vanity and greed many strive for honor, success and material gain by performance in self promotion. Hence, these draw us to rest humbly in our identity as children of God in Christ Jesus, letting Him elevate us rather than seek positions of prominence and power ourselves.
These passages teach that in God's kingdom the way up is down. The lower you go, the higher you ascend. The lowly are lifted. Pride poisons and destroys life. Hence, the proud falls in a great crash (Proverbs 16:18). In this event, the Lord Jesus observes the invited Pharisees were seeking "places of honor" presumptive of their merits (by their efforts of law performance), giving the Lord Jesus the opportunity to teach a posture of humility, which allows for undeserved favor of God’s grace to manifest.
Rather than being presumptive about self assessment to scramble for the best spots, God's children in grace are guided by the Holy Spirit to embrace a humble, resting posture. Opting for the low spot by not seeking a place of honor, you avoid the shame of being demoted, but gain the advantage of being lifted up or spared from disgrace. This reflects a life dependent on God’s grace rather than self-effort to earn merit and reward.
These, therefore, remind us that when you rest in your position as a favored child of God, you do not need to fight for the bigger share of the pie or recognition. In Christ Jesus, we have life abundant (John 10:10). We are the Lord’s beloved, as it is written: “So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.” (1 John 4:16 ESV).
And I say, AMEN!
Daily reflections by:
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
F. A. Frias
PFC Ministries
When God says... I say, AMEN! is a provocative reflection of the Lord's holy Word. It intends to challenge every seeker of truth to dig deep into the core of the Word of Life to point every being to Christ Jesus - the author and finisher of our faith, and to draw revelations for change, for nourishment and for strength of every soul.
Partners For Christ Ministries, INC.
P. O. Box 773716
Ocala, FL 34477
Touching lives in Cambodia, The Philippines, The Middle East, The USA, and... other countries.
1 comment:
Amen.
The proud will down and the humble will be lifted up.
Post a Comment