DATE POSTED: Saturday, 2023-04-29
WRITTEN AT: O’Brien, FL

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 14:7; 10-11;
TRANSLATION: Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

BIBLE TEXT: ⁷ Then Jesus noticed that some of the guests were choosing the best places to sit. So he told this story: 
¹⁰ “So when someone invites you, go sit in the seat that is not important. Then they will come to you and say, ‘Friend, move up here to this better place!’ What an honor this will be for you in front of all the other guests. ¹¹ Everyone who makes themselves important will be made humble. But everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.”

OBSERVATION: With as much as we learn, it sometimes becomes quite challenging in deciding our best move in certain circumstances. For example, some taught that if we don’t promote ourselves, no one else will. Others taught that we assume our rightful place when among others who consider themselves influential. However, for the child of God, we are to always follow in the example of our Master and Lord. Having learned His teachings, we become appreciative of His life-lessons and easier for us to follow in His example. Meditate with me as together we look deeper into this lesson today.

APPLICATION: Let’s take a moment to reflect on a few of the ways that Jesus showed Himself humble. Riding into Jerusalem while being escorted by his disciples and followers, Jesus was comfortable riding on the lowliest of animals – a donkey. Notice how unimportant that particular piece of information was to Jesus. He didn’t need a long processional, nor the protection of the town’s security forces, yet the people waved palm branches and sang songs as Jesus proceeded through the crowd, for He was their King! He ate at the table of the Tax Collectors, a group ridiculed by their own people for their dishonest dealings with the people. However, Jesus was more concerned with their heart’s condition and their readiness for heaven. Don’t we tend to stay away from such people as we are afraid the church might consider us one of them, or that we agree with their dishonest practices, if we mix with them? In our lesson today, Jesus saw how everyone was scrambling to be near the seat of honor. In today’s world and in a similar situation, we may say that they were trying for a photo op that would show them in close proximity to the host of the party! One of the best lessons taught by my parents, and shown by their example, is to take the back seat so that we do not show off our pride in being invited to such an event. Friends, if we did anything worthy of mention by the host, they would recognize us, no matter where we sit. But is there really something that forces us to be puffed up about, or smear in the faces of those who chose to sit near the back? In another part of the Scriptures, Jesus said that unless we humble ourselves as a little child, we would not be accepted into heaven. Think about the differences in what you find in a child vs an adult. They tend to listen closely to those in authority, and obey what they are told; they are very trusting of people they know, and willing to trust their lives into the hands of these people; They accept what adults tell them, assuming it to be the truth; they tend to tell the truth, even if they know it might get them into trouble; etc. Friends, when we humble ourselves like a child, we become moldable by our Father; We take Him at His word and trust Him to heal us when He tells us to trust in Him for all our cares and worries; We give credit to God for His kind and gentle touch that He promised, because He said in His Word that He cares for us and will meet our needs. If we are humble ourselves before the King of all kings, I believe that it would be natural for us to be humble before others. Proverbs 3:5-6 says: Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: Everyone who makes themselves humble will be made important.

PRAYER: Lord, You know how this world teaches us to focus on self as number one. Often through selfies, social media posts where we could promote ourselves. Unfortunately, we sometimes take this into the church, where we spend more time promoting self than we do in teaching the Word. Please forgive us Lord, for You are the One that we adore, and without You we are nothing. But because we are so self-centered, it becomes more challenging to truly become humble, and instead lift up Your holy name. This tends to flow over into our life that others see also, whether it’s in leadership, or even while serving You. Thank You for this reminder today on the importance of being humble, just as You were humble. Lord, we want the world to see Jesus, so please impress upon us the wrong in prideful acts. They want to see Jesus, so please help us to step aside and let Your light shine brightly through us so that the world will see and believe. AMEN!

FOOTNOTE: There are two more pages on my blog that will provide you with additional information, one of them being ‘To Know Jesus’. If you have been challenged to make a decision today after reading this devotional, please click on the above page, or speak with a local Bible Teaching Pastor, or contact me at NuggetsFromGodsWord@outlook.com. Please allow someone to pray with you and give you help and/or encouragement as you begin, or continue your walk with Jesus. Words underlined in my blog might indicate a link to a song that came to mind as I wrote the devotional. Feel free to click on the link and listen as you continue to read or pray. If this devotional was forwarded to you and you would like to see more, please go to Nuggets From God’s Word and read more, or you may freely subscribe for a daily email conveniently containing each day’s devotional. You may also visit me on Spotify and listen to Nuggets while you’re out and about. I would encourage you to find a church home near by your home, and attend as frequently as you could. Get to know God, and allow His people to encourage and strengthen you in your Christian walk, while making every effort to be a blessing to them. God is at work among His people! Please consider growing in your faith, as you worship with fellow believers!