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Welcome Back! Today, we’ll be looking at the Gospel of Luke to see what Jesus taught about honor and humility.
So let’s dive in.
Luke 14:7-11
When Jesus noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, He told them a parable: “When you are invited to a wedding banquet, do not sit in the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited. Then the host who invited both of you will come and tell you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ And in humiliation, you will have to take the last place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the last place, so that your host will come and tell you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in front of everyone at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
My Thoughts
Jesus warns people about the folly of pride and arrogance several times throughout the Gospels. In fact, when you survey the entire Bible, you see God elevating the humble and tearing down the proud all the time. It is a consistent scenario from cover to cover.
So, why do the Scriptures pay so much attention to this theme?
Here’s my guess; I’ve heard it said that pride is the root of all sin and if left unchecked, it elevates oneself above people and more dangerously, above God. It is the beginning of rebellion against Him. It says; “I know better. I will choose what I like despite the Creator’s demands. I will be the captain of my own life.”
Pride is like cancer and the Holy Spirit is committed to removing it from our lives. You see the Great Surgeon using His skillful skalpel in men like Moses, David, Joseph, Peter, and Paul. They all had to go into the OR as they went from hero to zero and back to hero again. Other characters, despite the Surgeon’s efforts, never make it out alive.
But it would be a mistake to misunderstand Jesus. He is not against greatness or honor. In fact he explicitly instructs people on how to achieve both. “If you want to be great, serve. If you want to be honored, take the low place. It’s up to others and ultimately the Lord, to elevate us to places of honor and prominence.
Grabbing it for ourselves is a sure fire way to find the bottom.
My Story
I was having a discussion with my mentor. It was something we had been doing for more than twenty years. But this time it was different. I disagreed with him at some point in our dialogue and made sure he knew it. As I got up to get more coffee, I thought to myself, “That was a good comeback. Now the student is teaching the teacher.” Just then I stepped on a wet spot and slammed my knee straight into the floor of the restaurant. It shattered in three pieces and I was on my way to surgery and six months of recovery. Coincidence? Maybe. Was I being arrogant, prideful, and haughty? Without a doubt. Just saying…
Our Action Plan
Now it’s time for application. Here’s some questions and ideas:
- Do a Bible study on pride and humility. Here’s some verses to begin with; (Proverbs 11:2, Proverbs 16:5, Proverbs 29:23, Isaiah 2:11, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5, Proverbs 18:12, Psalm 10:4, Proverbs 21:4, Jeremiah 9:23, 1 Corinthians 10:12, Galatians 6:3, Philippians 2:3, Proverbs 26:12, Isaiah 13:11, Romans 12:16, 1 John 2:16, Proverbs 15:25, 2 Chronicles 26:16, Proverbs 27:2)
- Do a Bible character study and observe how God develops their humility.
- Have a discussion with someone you are mentoring about pride. (Be careful not to step on any wet spots)
It is quite clear that God hates pride and is committed to rooting it out of us. As disciple makers we are stewards not only of outward actions but also the heart. Let’s allow the Holy Spirit to carve out this dangerous disease and help others do the same.
Organic Writing – No Artificial Intelligence or Sweeteners Added
| Gospel Sync | Kingdom Kernels | On the Road Podcast | Website |
