PROVERBS 25:6-7a
THE BACKGROUND
The book of Proverbs is a collection of wisdom; wise sayings for leading the godly life. Today’s short passage mirrors today’s Gospel lesson, which is why it appears here.
THE DETAIL
- The advice given is not to boldly stand before the king, “in the place of the great”. (v. 6)
- It is much better to be invited there than to be told to step down. (v. 7)
THE TAKEAWAY
The overall point here is for the reader to exercise humility instead of boldness. Better to have others urge you forward than to suffer the humiliation of being put lower.
HEBREWS 13:1-8, 15-16
THE BACKGROUND
This passage comes from the final chapter of the book. The author has made his theological points regarding Jesus’ place in the history of the Hebrew faith. Jesus is the culmination of the Father’s plan of salvation for us. Having made these points, he concludes with some advice on daily Christian living.
THE DETAIL
- “Letting mutual love continue” sums up this entire section. What follows are several examples. (v. 1)
- First up is showing hospitality to strangers. The mention of entertaining angels may have been intended as a reference to Abraham’s entertaining three travelers in the wilderness who turned out to be angels. (v. 2)
- Remembering people in prison was especially important in that time. Prisoners were held in complete darkness, often in restraints, frequently tortured, and rarely fed. It was important for people on the outside to remember these prisoners, and bring them food and hope. Prison ministry today is just as important for you and I to be involved in. When we do so, we bring hope and love to those in hopeless situations. (v. 3)
- Being faithful in our marriage is next on the list. (v. 4)
- We are cautioned not to be obsessed with our money, but to be content with what we have. We can find assurance in knowing that God will provide for our needs. (vv. 5-6)
- We are reminded to imitate the people in our lives who are our spiritual role models. (v. 7)
- Finally, we are reminded of Jesus’ constant presence in our lives. We should live lives of sacrifice and praise, sharing our blessings with those around us. (vv. 8, 15-16)
THE TAKEAWAY
Stand back, and take a good look at this list. Wouldn’t the world be a wonderful place, if everyone lived their lives like this? I think so. Let’s start a trend by following these guidelines!
LUKE 14:1, 7-14
THE BACKGROUND
This story appears about halfway through the section of Luke’s Gospel that is about Jesus’ teachings. We have four more chapters to go, before Jesus enters Jerusalem.
THE DETAIL
- Jesus is on his way to the house of a leader of the Pharisees, to attend a dinner party. That’s the good news. (v. 1a)
- Many [Pharisees?] are watching him closely. That’s the bad news. (v. 1b)
- Many guests are jockeying for seating at “the good table”. Jesus sees this, and decides to tell them a parable. (v. 7)
- The parable is a story which is apparently based on our first reading from Proverbs. (vv. 8-10)
- Then, Jesus tells them the moral of the story. It is better to be exalted than to be humbled. By living a life of humility, you allow others to raise you up. If you live your life in an exalted, cocky fashion, you can only expect to be humbled. (v. 11)
- Jesus could have left it right there, but he continues. He turns to the host and makes suggestions about who to invite to the party. He suggests inviting the dregs of society! (vv. 12-14)
THE TAKEAWAY
There was a song in the ‘50’s that went something like this: “We belong to a mutual admiration society”. This was the order of the day back then, as it is today. Many hold parties inviting influential friends, in the hopes of gaining wealth or prestige. Jesus’ suggestion to invite the crippled, blind and poor seem counterproductive to these goals. How do you think the party’s host reacted to this advice?
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Would you ever hold a party and invite the poor, crippled, and blind in your town?