a place at the table

Parable of the Guests

Luke 14:7-11

⁷ And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, ⁸ “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, ⁹ and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. ¹⁰ But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. ¹¹ For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

As I have been reading through the Old Testament Law.  I have become keenly aware of the fact that not only does God have “good works for us to do,” but He also has a place of His own choosing for us to carry out those works.  Now I’m going to tell you a story of how an over-zealous, immature young believer, tried to step into the place of another person’s “good works.”  First, Let me tell you that it is my own story.   I was a selfishly ambitious young Christian.  I was very immature in my faith and struggled a lot with insecurity.  As I began to practice the works that God had for me to do,  I was a bit rebellious and disrespectful to those whom God had placed over me in Ministry.  One day I came across the above Parable by Jesus, and my heart was immediately pricked, and I was aware that I was trying to sit in someone else’s seat in the Body of Christ.  I went to my Ministry leader, confessed my wrong-doing, and asked his forgiveness.  He was very gracious, and forgave me immediately.

I wish I could say that I never struggled with that again, but it just simply is not true.  I have learned, however, from this parable, to always enter a place as a servant, one who considers others as more important than myself.  If God has something for me to do, or a ‘good work’ for me to accomplish, then He will make the way for me.  I try to be very sensitive to never stepping into the place of another person’s anointing.   God will only bless what He has called us to.  There will be strife, envy and clamouring, when we are trying to accomplish, ‘good works,’ of our own.  These works will not be blessed and will not bear good fruit, because they are not ordained by God.

I share this story with you in the hope that, if you find yourself unsure of where and how God wants you to serve, follow His advice and choose the lowest seat.  Enter every arena as a servant to all.  If God has more for you, He will make a way.  I find great contentment and joy in serving others, it has been the precious key to releasing me from insecurity, and selfish ambition.  I am so at peace now.  It is a peace that can only be found in resting in the Lord, trusting in the place of His choosing for me to serve and minister. May you be blessed with this same peace, as you serve Him in the place of His own choosing for you