Luke 14:7-11 Pride, honor and position are all very illusive. There is a difference between taking pride and being proud; between assuming honor and position and being given honor and position. One may be honored one day and dishonored the next. To take pride in what you do in the sense that you do the best you can to please the one you're serving in order that God and those you're serving will look good is commendable. When the ministry grounds are well groomed, and the church is neat and clean and in good repair and the food tastes good and served politely because you've done your best to make it so, the church and ministry looks good to the community and to God and by association, so do you. When you serve with a servant's heart, God knows, and people notice, and you don't have to say a word. I believe that this is basically what Jesus had in mind when He told the parable in today's Scripture. At a wedding feast there were relative places of honor at the table. The places near the head of the table were reserved for those with greater honor - these places were given not assumed. When one would assume that because he has done so much he deserves to have a place right next the head of the table, it becomes very embarrassing to be asked to move to the lowest end of the table because another has come, that at least in that situation, is to be more greatly honored. Two verses that illustrate the principle are: Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." 1 Peter 5:6 "Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time." The thing is to get our priorities straight - God's agenda first; and get over the idea of needing to be recognized and realize that it is God.

Who is Holding You Up?