Be Humble - Be Blessed
READ: Luke 14:7-12
When I was growing up, I found that by asking for the smallest item on my Christmas list, I would end up getting almost everything that I wanted. This is what I would do when my grandmother would ask me for my Christmas list: I would give her the list and tell her that the smallest item on the list was what I really wanted. When Christmas morning came around, I would end up with almost everything that I wanted.
My experiences are much the same as a parable that Jesus told at a banquet feast: "When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, 'Give this man your seat.' Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 14:8-11)
This parable ties into my Christmas story very well. Jesus tells the people at the feast that if they humble themselves and sit in an unimportant place, their host would move them up. In the same way, if you humble yourself before men, God will move you up.
Being exalted by humbling yourself is just like getting most everything I wanted for Christmas, by asking for the least important item.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT: How do we become exalted before God? Why would God want us to humble ourselves? How can we humble ourselves in life?
PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Pray for something that you may need. Pray for someone you know that has a problem. Thank God for something that you are thankful for.