Where do you sit?

Luke 14:7–14 NIV

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

I know that most of you don’t have social media. But here’s is what happens sometimes when people post things on social media, they show you the best version of their lives. For instance, yesterday we had a big event here on campus, and people from all over the place came and helped us clean everywhere on campus. If we look at these pictures you can see all sorts of people in these pictures. Sometimes we post images on Facebook or Instagram so that we can show everyone around us how good we are, or how neat our lives are or because we want the positive attention that comes from us.

This is not always bad, but the truth is that most of the time, we want people to tell us we did a good job because we feel like we are good people. We feel like we are the best and think we are number one.

In the verses we read we see a story that Jesus shares about what happens sometime when we feel like we are the best.

Now don’t get me wrong you may be the best at something but being the best may allow you to feel like you are better than anyone else. That’s the opposite of what God wants you to behave like.

Jesus expects His children to act in Humility.

Let’s take a look at what the Bible says about humility.

Luke 14:10–11 NIV

10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus is saying something really simple here. Don’t pretend like you are better than anyone else at anything.

When we behave like we are better than anyone else, God can and will humble you. Instead Jesus wants us to recognize everyone else regardless of who they are. God expects His children to treat everyone else like they are better than you.

When you treat others like they are better than you, that does not mean they are better than you, it means you are showing them you love and appreciate them.

Rather, we need to behave like Jesus.

Philippians 2:5–8 NIV

5 In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; 7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

The Gospel of Jesus (reviewed with the humility is takes to stoop down as a human when He was God.)

In what ways are you being humble? Are you encouraging the people you see around you?