Parable of the Guests
Luke 14:7And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them,
8″When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him,
9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place.
10″But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you.
11″For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
12And He also went on to say 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, otherwise they may also invite you in return and that will be your repayment.
13″But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14and you will be blessed, since they do not have the means to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”
15When one of those who were reclining at the table with Him heard this, he said to Him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!”
Good reminder to not only humble ourselves, but treat with honor those who usually don’t receive honor (except by the Lord).
I wanted to highlight this, but I decided not to since the entire parable is of the same importance, but I found these verses particularly surprising since it’s probably the opposite of what 95% of Christians do:
So much like many bloggers: Only commenting on those blogs that will bring the greatest likelihood of reciprocation.
Wow! It’s amazing how well God konws our nature; yet, he never sinned. To often, we want recongition from others when we should really be focused on receiving approval from God. He really knew how to turn things upside down.