From Luke 14: 1 On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. 7 When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. 8 "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; 9 and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, "Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit down at 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 the table with you. 11 For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." 12 He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. 13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.14 And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Perhaps you've been there. You and yours (if you're lucky, some invitations come only to the husband) are invited to a "feast" of some sort. It would be the big meal after a wedding and if there are no assigned seating, you play of the game of "Where will/should/could I sit?" As a pastor I have been a part of a processional before the bridal party arrived, to sit on a three tiered level of tables, on the highest level, with the bridal party on the second, the family on the third and the wedding guests on the floor. As I pastor I have also been assigned to another floor at the very back, to sit with people I did not yet know. The food eaten at the first feast was the same on the third tier as on the floor level, as was the occasion; and the same for the place of the second floor. Jesus teaches at such a feast, knowing that human emotion and human reason is funny and varies from person to person; the universal being how important am I and will this be reflected in the place i sit?
Jesus' first point was that of humility. You were invited by someone kind enough to invite you. And if you're truly humble you won't rush to a seat. You can visit with people, converse and then see where you can be seated, thankful you were invited in the first place. What Jesus stresses is that we should not seek our own honor by making our way to the head table only to find that we do not have seating there. Seek to sit where no one else cares to sit, and if you're asked to move up or closer, then so be it, but keep your humility in all of this.
Jesus' second point was startling, and still is for many. When you are the host of such a feast, do not use it as an occasion to pay back those who invited us the last time. Someone once said, "We as Americans believe we are always under obligation to 'pay back' those who invite us to lunch or dinner; and it shows in our weight." Jesus says our invited guests should be "the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind." He goes on to say, "And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." Hmm. So, everyone should be welcome at out covered dish fellowship meals, or is that just for "us?" What if they don't bring a covered dish? How can we expect to feed those that don't bring something with them? And what about the Table of the Lord? Should "outsiders" and "foreigners" be invited and welcome too? What if they don't dress or talk like us? What if they smell or carry germs?
Jesus was all about blessing. Jesus blessed people and wanted people to bless others, and that includes you and me. We should seek to be a blessing back to God and to God's people. True humility comes from knowing and imitating Him who showed us how to truly live. I believe Jesus called it life in abundance.
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me when I seek the best and the first for me. Help me to realize it is not about that; it is about being a blessing to those who do not yet know blessings from God through me, especially those whose lives may reflect to them that they are far from and not worth a blessings. This I ask in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
