pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: hierarchy


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Humble

Reading: Luke 14:1 and 7-11

Verse 11: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Photo credit: Kyle Johnson

Jesus is at the home of a prominent Pharisee for dinner. As the guests arrive, Jesus observes how they picked the places of honor at the table. The closer one sat to the host or special guest, the more honor one would receive. After observing for a time, Jesus tells today’s parable. All parables have a main point. The point of today’s is this: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

What did Jesus observe that led him to tell this parable? As he sat and watched others jockey for the best places at the table, how the arrogance and pride and ego must have been on full display. The Pharisees were a religious order. All organizations have hierarchies – some structural or organizational, some organic, some perceived. There are often times when those who are not the “boss” think they know more than the boss. Some in places of authority have to power to walk up to another, to point down the row of seats, forcing someone else down the pecking order. It really mattered to these Pharisees where they say at the table. Pride, arrogance, and ego were on full display.

We live in a world where pecking orders and hierarchies still very much exist – from the board rooms right on down to the school lunch table. The desire to rise up the order, to gain more control and power, to elevate oneself are temptations many of us face. When we allow our arrogance and pride and ego to drive our words and actions, then we are no better than these Pharisees. So the question for us to ponder today is this: when we feel we deserve better, how do we instead choose to practice the humility that Jesus so gracefully displayed?

Prayer: Lord God, when I am tempted to judge others as a means to elevate myself or to gossip or critique others as a means to raise my own self-esteem, remind me that all I am is found in you alone. Lead me to focus on you as my purpose and meaning. Guide me in humble service. Amen.


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Sacred Worth

Reading: Philemon 1-21

Verse 6: “I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ”.

Paul writes this letter to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. He is a slave that ran away from Philemon and served Paul during this time. We do not know when Onesimus became a Christian. We do know that slavery was common and was accepted during this time. Paul implies that Onesimus is a changed man and that Philemon should accept him back as such. Paul encourages him to receive Onesimus back not as a slave but as a “dear brother” in Christ. There is an implication that Onesimus would be more useful and would serve him better if Philemon treats him as an equal rather than as a slave.

Although slavery is not legal in most places today, the implication still has application for us today. In our day to day lives we see and encounter all sorts of people. Society and groups within society often have a social order established that says this person is better than that one and that person is lower than those people. It happens at school, at work, on our teams, in line at the store, driving down the street… None of us are exactly alike. We not only have physical attributes that make us each unique, we also have different intrinsic abilities that add another layer to our individualism. Society often places arbitrary value or worth on this attribute or that ability. Paul is saying that the only thing that matters in how we treat others is our inherent status as children of God. If that is our only measuring stick, then we will treat all equally. When we treat one person this way and that person another way, then we are straying from Jesus’ example. Jesus treated the prostitute the same way he treated the Pharisee. He treated the leper the same way he treated the closest disciples.

Paul’s plea is for Philemon to treat Onesimus as a fellow brother in Christ. Sometimes we will be the one serving or working or playing for another. Sometimes we will be on the other side of the equation. In either case Christ is our example. If all we do and say and think is modeled after Jesus’ example, then we will see all people’s sacred worth and we will treat all people equally and fairly. May it be so for you and for me.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to see you in all I meet today. In all I encounter may love be the guide and the driving force behind all I do and say and think. Amen.