Jesus is at a dinner and uses the setting for a couple of lessons. He tells them to take a less honorable seat. That is actually in the book of Proverbs. Jesus points out the lesson, that those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

How do we do that? What does that look like? Humility is about relying on God; it’s not when you think poorly of yourself. You were made in the image of God and can do all things through Christ! Don’t talk bad about God’s perfect creation. But we are to rely on God for all things and not think we can do things on our own. Peter tells us what to do.

1 Peter 5:6-7 Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

Humble yourself and God will exalt you in due time. It’s using the same words. But, then it tells us what to do. Cast all your cares on Him.

Instead of running around trying to solve our problems, we give our problems to the Lord. We trust His care for us. That’s humbling ourselves. All we’re asked to do is let God be our Savior, our helper, our friend. Isn’t God good?

Jesus also teaches them to give to those who can’t return the favor. But then He turns it into a story which seems to point to Israel’s rejection of Him and turning to the Gentiles. Don’t ever brag about God choosing you. He sent His servants out to gather the outcasts.

Those poor, blind, and lame all get into the banquet. Actually, the story ends with even more being compelled in. Are you one that needs compelling to come to God, or will you be a servant who can be sent to do the compelling?

There’s a cost to serving. It involves your death. Picking up your cross means choosing to go to your death. We want to be crucified to our flesh. We want the life of Christ resurrected in us. It’s only in losing our lives that we save them. You must be willing to give up all.

But in giving up all, we gain all; we gain Christ. And we put our burdens onto Him. We don’t really have to carry that cross. We’re not alone in this.