Receiving Not Seeking Honor

Receiving Not Seeking Honor Jun 12, 2008 Luke's Gospel in the fourteeth chapter details a dinner party where Jesus is being tested by some religious leaders of His day. They watch Jesus to see if He would break their understanding of the Mosaic Law by healing a man with dropsy on the Sabbath day. After turning the challenge back upon them by questioning them on basic human compassion He then heals the man with Dropsy. But then He warns them regarding seeking to be honored by others. He tells them not to sit down in the best place because someone may come after you and the host tell you to move down to a less honorable seat. Now in that culture as in ours sitting next to the host was an honor. Jesus told them to sit in a less honorable seat first and then when the host offers them a more honorable seat they will have receive honor by the host when not seeking it. Here is a practical lesson for us. It is clear from this passage we are not to seek after honor from others. The Bible says in Proverbs 15:33 "The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom, And before honor is humility." And in 1st Peter 5:6-7 "...humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, 7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. So keeping humble and allowing God to promote us is godly wisdom. Even when we are not recognized for our accomplishments Peter tells us to cast all our care upon Him, for He cares for us... So Receiving NOT Seeking honor is the Word for today....