Made me think, too. Friday’s post that is.
I paraphrased Jesus, “It’s more embarrassing to be moved down the list than moved up.” A couple people said, “What’s up with that?”
They ask a good question. I had pointed to a parable that Jesus told, but I paraphrased the punchline. And it felt funny. After all, Paul talks about Jesus and said, “Have the same attitude [of humility] that Christ had” who gave up everything. Everything we know about Jesus says that humility is a good thing.
He’s at a party. With religious leaders. He notices that guests are looking for the best seats, the seats of honor, seats closest to the front.
Jesus tells a story, a parable. He says something like
Imagine you are at a wedding feast. You look at the numbers on the tables. You find number 1. You sit down. You say, “the number on my invitation must have been wrong. After all, the bride is my niece’s second cousin once removed.” You are feeling pretty comfortable. The tables are getting full.
Until the bride’s father taps you on the shoulder.
“These are for the bride’s grandparents.”
An you have to walk all the way to the back. To the card table set up by the kitchen door as overflow.
Ouch. Everyone listening to Jesus cringes. And looks up. And sees, over his shoulder, the people looking for the best seats.
Instead, when you show up at the party, stand at the back. Get to know the help. And then, if you really do know the family, you’ll get called up to the better tables.
So, was Jesus saying “fake humility is a great party strategy?” Or was he saying, “focus on being at the party. Let others worry about the seats?”
300 words a day 
Rich Dixon
“And then, if you really do know the family, you’ll get called up to the better tables.”
This still sounds like a promised reward for being humble. It reminds me of the testimonies of church members who stand up and tell us how they were financially blessed after they began tithing—maybe true, but hardly the reason to tithe. And perhaps they conveniently skip the folks who tithed faithfully and then lost their jobs?
Maybe, if you really know the family, you’ll be left at a back table because they know you’ll understand that they planned poorly and you’ll still be okay. Maybe there won’t be a reward.
I think we KNOW Jesus is saying that where you sit isn’t the point–God will take care of that. I’m just curious why He tosses in the “reward” part that seems to imply that humility is just a better strategy for getting what we really want.
I guess I’m asking why He didn’t end that last quote with “… get to know the help.”
And, of course, I expect you to know the answer! 🙂
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Jon Swanson
hmmm. So why does Jesus talk here and elsewhere about reward? I understand the tension. But I wonder if we would hear Montoya in the background: “I do not think it means what you think it means.”
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Rich Dixon
I’m CERTAIN it doesn’t mean what it sounds like it means. But I also don’t think He said anything accidental.
So I still don’t really get it. Except I’m sure He doesn’t want me to sit in the back because I think it’ll get me a better seat in the end.
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