Humility & Loving Kindness: Luke 14:7-14

 In attending a wedding feast, Jesus noticed how the guests picked the places of honour at the table. In seeing this, he spoke this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honour, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 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. 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 honoured in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted [Luke 14:7-14]”.

Greco-Roman world banquets were also events that exemplified social status for the rich and famous. A person's place at the table or his proximity to the host would indicate one's status. Even in today's societies all over the world, status is still something people crave after. Yet in Luke 14: 7-14, Jesus teaches a lesson that will bruise the “status-ism” or “class-ism” loving ego. It's a lesson of humility and loving-kindness towards the poor and outcast, and those who have no status or honour among the elite. The parable in Luke 14:7-14 will not be easily embraced by some, and yet if these lessons are applied to our lives, we will be richly blessed, even more than human honour gives to us.

Although Jesus used a wedding feast as his venue in his parable, in our gatherings nowadays, we can view any location as a place to exercise humility. For example, some of you reading this attend an education facility [school, college]. On your lunch break, you have a choice to sit next to students who are held in high regard, probably because of their position on a sports team, or their intellect within a faculty - the Miss and Mr. popular students. The same is true on the job. Some may have a greater desire to sit near a particular employee because of his or her social status or reputation. Yet Jesus' lesson teaches us that, wherever we are, because He's in our presence, He will always be the most important guest in that place, whether it be work, school, or elsewhere. Whenever we seek honour from people through our choices, humiliation could be the end result, because he who exalts himself will be humbled. Humility is a teacher, and she's trying to save us from humiliation.

Jesus' parable also invites us to show loving kindness to those who cannot repay us for good deeds done unto them. He is our rewarder. Therefore, why chase after perishable rewards that are temporary self-exalting stimulants? Jesus' parables are hard teachings, but their long-term rewards are peace and joy.

R.G.  31/08/25

Image: pixabay.com

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