THE HUMBLE WILL BE EXALTED

Passage: Luke 14:7-14

Key verse: 11

NIV

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table,(A) 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.”(B)

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,(C) 14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”(D)

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

7 Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed (A)how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, 9 and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. 10 But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, (B)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 table with you. 11 For (C)everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Parable of the Great Banquet

12 He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give (D)a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers[a] or your relatives or rich neighbors, (E)lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13 But when you give a feast, (F)invite (G)the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14 and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid (H)at (I)the resurrection of the just.”

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Footnotes
  1. Luke 14:12 Or your brothers and sisters
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Noticing people jostling for the best places at the table, Jesus told a parable of a wedding banquet. This made a clear point: actively humbling oneself instead of presuming will lead to being exalted, while asserting and pursuing honor for oneself will lead to humiliation. This universal wisdom (Pr 25:6-7) is based on God’s character (Pr 3:34) and work (1:52). How can we humble ourselves, in a world where everyone seeks their own gain? Only if we care more about the opinion of the host. It requires faith to trust the host to place us properly, rather than fight for our own place. God knows best; let’s humble ourselves before him and trust his placement. His recognition matters more than all the accolades of this world.

To the host he gave a different direction: invite those who cannot repay you. He says: “Invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” We follow this advice only when we value the reward of our heavenly Father, which he promises to give at the resurrection of the righteous. If we are ministry-centered, we want to invest only in people who will build up our work. But when we know ourselves as the church, Jesus’ body on earth, who seek God’s reward, we can serve those who cannot serve us back.

Prayer: Father, your mercy on me is so great. Help me seek your recognition and reward, serving the least of these and humbling myself into your hands.

One Word: God blesses the humble servant