Pastor Barry's  "Chapter & Verse"  2024  Day 261

September 16;      Luke 14:10;       58/260(IV);      ‘Grace to the Humble’

Luke 14:10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes he may say to you, 'Friend, go up higher.' Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit at the table with you.

Once we become Christians, the need for everyone’s attention is no longer important.  The Pharisees loved the seats of honor at functions.  Their pride killed Jesus when the multitudes gave more attention to Jesus than they received.  Jesus knew who He was spiritually and conducted His natural life in humility.  He taught the people and healed them.  Love, not recognition was the motive of Jesus.  He never sought the attention He received, because no one taught like He did and surely no one, other than Jesus, healed and cast out demons.  The Bible teaches that Moses was humble.  John the Baptist, when he was told Jesus disciples were baptizing more people than John’s disciples, he simply replied that Jesus must increase and he must decrease.  Great men in the Bible got their worth from serving the Lord, not how they were or were not treated by people.  Jesus is the One who taught verse 10.  When we have accepted the privilege we have to continue the ministry of Jesus, that is reward enough.  Our value comes from the Lord.  Humbly walking in love with everyone, causes others to respect you and as you conduct yourself in an unassuming manner, they want to be like you and will invite you to ‘come up higher.’  How liberating walking close to Jesus is.  We have the greatest honor to do His work.  The closer we walk to the Lord, the more our character reflects His and the more drawn to others we will be.  The Bible teaches that right now, positionally, we are seated in heavenly places with Jesus.  That’s good enough for me.