Luke 14:11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
This verse comes from a teaching of Jesus who spoke of people attending a feast. The people were encouraged to take lower ranking seats, leaving the seats of honor for more prestigious people. They were told this to help avoid embarrassment from them being asked to move to a lower seat. But there was also the chance that the host would raise them to a higher seat.
The teaching was not over seats of honor in a feast as much as it was an example of humility versus pride and self-promotion. In it we see that we need to be genuine and honest in our humility, accepting less than we think we are due, leaving the self-promotion to others. It urges believers not to seek attention or make themselves more grandiose and arrogant.
This verse is a cornerstone of Christian teaching on pride. It has similar teachings which can be found in Proverbs 25:6-7 and Matthew 23:12. These emphasize that God works true repentance by breaking down human pride.
We have many opportunities every day to avoid the embarrassment of being demoted to something we thought we deserved or were due. It could be something as simple as us choosing not to boast about an accomplishment we have done, or it could be something more involved like choosing to serve someone else when you yourself are normally being served by others. The point is, we CHOOSE to lower ourselves to a position we don’t deserve because we are doing it to serve others and bring Him glory.
It is a paradox of kingdom living, reversing the world’s value of self-promotion. The world says we should be more, do more, achieve more. We are to excel, to succeed, to strive to be all that we can be – and more. But the core message is that true honor comes from God through humility rather than self-elevation. It warns that arrogance leads to a downfall, while modesty leads to honor.
The focus is on God doing the elevating, not on promoting oneself to get ahead.
Where is your focus? Is it turned inward, helping yourself to get ahead? Even if it is as non-selfish as working for your family to be sure they are provided for, we still approach it with humility. We still look to God to do this for us, just like everything else. He loves you. He wants you to be cared for and provided for. He always makes a way.
Prayer: Lord, Thank You for always providing for me and opening doors. Help me to humbly walk through them, recognizing that everything I have is from You. Amen
Be the first to comment