Preening

When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this man your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 14:7-15)

Many people have insecurities. They forget that they have been created in the image of God and so they try to compensate for their feelings of inadequacy by preening and doing what they can to make themselves look better than anyone else.

Jesus did not directly attack the very human desire for honor. Rather, Jesus simply pointed out that if you really want to make yourself look better, the best strategy is humility. Humility leads to honor more surely than self-aggrandizement. Putting others first is the best way of putting yourself first.

Likewise, one’s motivation for inviting guests to dinner is not getting paid back by them. You should be doing good, not because of what you’ll get out of it, but because of what you can do for someone else.

Real love is not self-centered. Therefore, focusing on your own needs, putting yourself as the priority, is not showing yourself love at all. Loving yourself means that you love others first. If you really want what’s best for you, then you have to do what’s best for someone else without thinking about yourself at all. Only in looking to help others, can you help yourself, and receive the greatest rewards of all.

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