Don't You Love Jesus!

I love Jesus! Today I woke up thankful to God that the weather this week in Chicago has been great all week. There is something about climate and the change of temperature that can effect a persons personality and attitude. Is it just me, or have you ever noticed that most people seem more friendly on a warm sunny day? Of course you will always have some people that despite everything and everyone around them, to them God created the entire world to be subject to that individual in their eyes. 

That being said, another reason that I love Jesus was because of his parables. In today's text from Luke's Gospel, Jesus tells a parable that reminds us to stay humble and meek. Jesus has a way of reminding us that it's God who gives us the gifts, talents and prestige that we encounter over our lives. Only by God's grace can we even function so we must be careful of how high and lofty we get. In other words Jesus tells us don't get big headed. Let's look:

Luke 14

New International Version (NIV)

Jesus at a Pharisee’s House

14 One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. ² There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. ³ Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” ⁴ But they remained silent. So taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way.

⁵ Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child^[a] or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” ⁶ And they had nothing to say.
⁷ When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: ⁸ “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. ⁹ If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. ¹⁰ 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 the other guests. ¹¹ For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”


Don't you love Jesus? It's always going to be people in our lives who have big heads/ big egos and will take credit for your gifts and your work. However our job is not to get upset, or take revenge. Our job is to keep giving God the honor as we continue to work humbly until God invites us to the place at the table God has reserved for us. You can only fake the funk for so long, but when you work honestly and diligently on behalf of God your seat at the table is going to be off the chain, leaving on-lookers in awe!

Christ direct our hearts today and always to approach every facet of our lives with humble intentions  being careful not to boast, brag, or make allegiances with others for our own benefits or prestige as we are working on behalf of you. This we pray in your name O God. Amen.