Jesus shares some tips on humility with us.
8 “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!
10 “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. 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. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
Here are some practical tips from Jesus to help you save face:
1. If you are a dinner guest, remember that somebody more important may be there, don't take a chance on getting pushed out of the best seat.
2. If you are hosting a party, don't invite the important people, all of the rich people and your friends that can pay you back.
2. If you are hosting a party, don't invite the important people, all of the rich people and your friends that can pay you back.
In both scenarios we find that we have to make a choice to look out for others ahead of ourselves. You see the party may not be all about you, that can be hard to believe, we get caught up in our own importance and we forget that the rest of the world may not be as impressed as we are with ourselves.
We want to do just enough for other people so that we won't be embarrassed when they out do us. Sometimes we find that we do unto others that will do back for us, if I give then I will get, but Jesus said to give to those that won't give you a payback.
We need to get rid of our pride because it gets in the way of loving people the way that Jesus wants us to, our pride is a sign that we don't see others as valuable as Jesus wants us to see them. We can't see their value when ours is so inflated, we can't see their needs if we are staring at our own needs all of the time.
Why do we hold on to pride?
1 Peter 5:6-7 So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.Fear gets in the way of humility but I should remember that the Bible tells me that God is almighty and he cares for me, I can be humble and I can give up all of my worries because I know that the almighty God is looking out for me better than I can ever do.
In God's economy the first are last and the lowly are exalted, look at the example set by Jesus when he came to earth, he came humbly and gave up his rights and honor that was due to him and yet now he is in the seat of honor at God's right hand. (1 Corinthians 15:24-25, Hebrews 10:12)
Who am I Lord that you are thinking of me? Since you are thinking of me I don't need to, help me to be humble, to see the world through your eyes and help me put others first.
