Emphasis Preaching Journal

It is easy for us to look at this parable of Jesus and say that we would never sit in the seat of honor until we were asked. We would think of that as presumptuous --even arrogant! We would sit at the end of the table and if the host wanted us to sit in a place of greater honor, we would gladly accept the invitation. But we would not just go and sit in that place of honor without being invited!

A fair enough observation. But —

--Isn't a lot of jockeying for position around the boss in an office something like that?

--Isn't the desire and effort to be seen with admired and respected people, presenting them as close friends and associates, something like that?

--Isn't worming your way into a party to which you were not invited but where there are people who you especially admire something like that?

--Isn't name-dropping something like that?

--Isn't driving an exotic sports car something like that?

--Isn't any way we try to "one-up" another person just like that?

We are not immune to that against which Jesus warns in this parable. But we are often blinded to when we do exactly the same thing or something very similar to it!

We are people who seek honor for ourselves in many ways although we often are not aware of what we are doing!