Honor

Luke 14:7-14 (The Message)

He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. 

Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, "When someone invites you to dinner, don't take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. Then he'll come and call out in front of everybody, 'You're in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.' Red-faced, you'll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left.

"When you're invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. 

Then when the host comes he may very well say, 'Friend, come up to the front.' That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! What I'm saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you're going to end up flat on your face. But if you're content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself."

Then he turned to the host. 

"The next time you put on a dinner, don't just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. 

Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. 

You'll be—and experience—a blessing. They won't be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God's people."

Ego.  

My goodness, what a powerful force.  

Our need for self-justification, and self-protection.  It gets us in so much trouble.  

A few weeks ago, as members of SOTH trained about going out into the community, knocking on doors and making friends and meeting neighbors...we received some wonderful advice.  

"Take your pride, take all your ego...wad it up into a ball, and then throw it over into Paulding County.  We don't need it anymore, and it will only keep us from our goal."

Lord, help me throw my pride into Paulding County.  A great, great prayer.  

If my pride is gone, I don't have to elbow for the best seat anymore.  I don't have to defend myself in an argument.  I can let things be, secure in my identity with God.  

Now, that may sound a lot like "weakness."  

It's really strength.  If you don't believe me, give it a shot.  Try to live, aware of your ego, aware of your pride, and trying to keep it in check.  

Only those with God's strength at work in their lives can let go of their ego.  And guess what?  Jesus says there are some wonderful rewards.  

We won't be embarrassed by thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to.  And, best of all, we'll be freed to be in ministry with "the misfits from the wrong sides of the tracks."  

They won't be able to repay the favor, but God will.  

That sounds a lot like God, after all.  The one who loves us misfits, when there is no chance that we can repay the favor to him.  

Prayer:  May you crucify our egos...may they die so that we can be resurrected into the beautiful life of faith that you seek to give us.  Teach us the beauty of dependence and humility.  

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit.  As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be.  World without end.   Amen.