Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
Seeing the World as God Does
This can be a puzzling passage at first glance. It is easy to understand that Jesus is suggesting we humble ourselves, rather than elevate our own status beyond what others might perceive of us. But when he says to take the lowest place at the banquet so that the host will see you and invite you to a better place, it sounds as if Jesus might be suggesting that we humble ourselves in order to benefit from that humility in the long run. In other words, it comes off as though he is suggesting our motivation for humbling ourselves is still self-serving.
But, of course, this isn’t what Jesus is trying to say. Rather, he is suggesting that we go into the banquet without any expectation for exaltation. If we humble ourselves for the sake of humbling ourselves, not so that we might get something else in return, we will be uplifted simply by nature of truly being humble. It is a subtle, but important, distinction.
Jesus clarifies this even further when he speaks instead to the host of the banquet. Rather than inviting people who are likely to reciprocate that invitation in the future, he suggests inviting people who could never repay us in the same way. And yet, despite their inability to repay in the form of reciprocity, the reward received would be even greater long term.
This passage ultimately offers us a chance to see through God’s eyes, to see the world as God might see it. Rather than viewing life through our human lens, which promotes selfishness and gives us an inflated sense of self-importance, Jesus suggests we view the world through the eyes of God. This involves humbling ourselves and recognizing that we are being asked to step outside of ourselves, to set aside our own desires, in order to serve our neighbors and communities.
Jamie Almquist, pastor, Good Shepherd Moravian Church
Calgary, Alberta