Aside from using certain words or phrases the quickest way for others to get a
fix on your upbringing comes when you sit down at the table to eat. Table manners
seem to have vanished along with the teaching of saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you.’
Today’s families don’t dine together like they used to. Somewhere along the line,
someone who you really want to make an impression on is going to ask you to join
them in a meal. You know what? You can’t fake good manners.
It is the seemingly unimportant stuff like this that separates people at the peak
from the rest of the pack. Etiquette is important no matter at whose table we are dining.
Jesus gave instructions for some table manners in Luke 14.
First, in verses 7-11 he tells us about our place to sit.
7 So He told a parable to those who were invited, when He noted how they chose the best places,
saying to them:
8 “When you are invited by anyone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in the best place, lest one more
honorable than you be invited by him;
9 and he who invited you and him come and say to you, ‘Give place to this man,’ and then you begin
with shame to take the lowest place.
10 But when you are invited, go and sit down in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes
he may say to you, ‘Friend, go up higher.’ Then you will have glory in the presence of those who sit
at the table with you.
11 For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
Let’s face it, we all want the best seat when we attend an event. At a game, movie or even at a restaurant,
we want to sit in the best seat in the house.
In these verses we find Jesus dining and giving table etiquette. The common thought of Jesus’ day was much
like our own; obtaining the best place at the table. But, Jesus taught just the opposite. He encouraged his followers
to humble themselves and to take ‘any’ seat rather than worrying about the ‘best’ one. Jesus said a place in the
kingdom is not something to be expected, but received as a gift. He also used this opportunity to teach kingdom
etiquette to those who host meals. Like the guests in the story (verses 7-11) who wanted only the best seats,
He talked about the hosts who have a similar mindset with the guest list. Jesus encouraged hosts to be mindful
of who they consider to be the ‘best.’ Jesus said the ones who should be invited to share the meal are ‘the poor,
the crippled, the lame and the blind’ (verses 12-14)
It’s interesting to notice how Luke elevated those of least importance. Take, for example, the reporting of the birth
of Jesus the Christ. Instead of including the wise men in the birth story, Luke chose to include the shepherds.
Someone has said that Matthew’s account was the “Who’s who” but Luke’s was the “Who’s that?”
In our scripture today, Jesus tells the hosts to send their invitations to those whom everyone else would overlook.
For in doing so they will be blessed at the resurrection of the just.
In following the kingdom etiquette of Jesus, we show respect for the hungry of the world. We pay more attention to
those not normally invited to the banquet –
The Meal – His word
The guests – Those we never think to invite
The place – The best we can offer them when they come.
Have a great day!!!!
