You lose when you want to outrun, outplay and outwit others
by Stephan Joubert At a banquet Jesus observed how some of the guests rushed to take the best seats assigned for the special guests (Luke 14:7-11). He knew that it was customary for Jewish guests of honour to arrive a little later than others at public meals. Their seats were reserved either at the head end of the main table, or the middle of the middle couch. But those who showed up earlier ignored these unwritten rules of honourable conduct. “The early bird catches the worm,” “first come, first served,” “it’s my lucky day,” and a bunch of other nice-sounding phrases probably ran through their heads as they took up their special places. “Tough luck for the late-comers” they thought as they outwitted and outplayed the others. Today they really stepped up in life. They were on their way to new status and public recognition. Jesus quickly burst His fellow guests’ bubble. He told them never to run for the spotlight. Life is not about self-promotion, self-improvement or moving up on the social ladder. It’s not about achieving more public recognition, honour or power. On the contrary, life in the presence of God is about humility. It is about making an understatement by sitting on the lowest seat. It is to hold back, to play second fiddle and to wholeheartedly trust in God to bestow His honour upon you if and when it suits Him. Honour is never a public claim to self-worth amongst followers of Jesus. Neither do you strive to achieve recognition at the expense of others. Honour is a gift of God. He bestows it when and wherever He sees fit. To gain more status or fame by outwitting or outplaying others is to lose the real game of life in the eyes of Jesus. It is to act shamefully. It is to make a mockery of God’s grace. That’s why Jesus always treated others with respect. He always looked up to those in need. He washed feet, touched lepers and healed the unclean. He cared. He took the lowest seat. He wasn’t dependent on public recognition. He had no personal agenda to move up the social scale. He was downwardly mobile, not vice versa. Jesus came to serve, to love and to reclaim God’s people. He came to restore unity, community and oneness. In this process He showed that humility, not self-promotion, is the only route to greatness in God’s eyes.