RBWords

    Jesus often uses banquets as the setting for his teaching.  In a society that was very class conscious, the invitation from the Pharisees to someone who would never be able to return the favor (at least not the same way) was quite an exception!  In Jesus' time, one only invited people of the same social level to dine at one's house.  Jesus would never be able to afford such an event!  He also manages a very blunt comment after watching how the guests were jockeying for positions nearer the head of the table, which would have been shaped like a large square "U" with the places of honor nearest the host at the bottom of the "U."  His comment reflects both a shrewd social strategy and an even better spiritual one.  The guest who avoids the scramble for "power" may very likely attract the attention of the host and receive a higher place, to the envy of the others - that is the social strategy.  The spiritual one is a challenge to know oneself and one's place in the scheme of God's plan.  This leaves all honor to God's determination, acknowledging God as the source of all power. The result is reflected in the line quoted above.  

     Jesus will reinforce this teaching on a number of occasions, especially in the story of the Pharisee and Tax Collector who go to the temple to pray (Luke 18:9-14).  One's true status comes from God and not from one's own efforts or determination.  This does not mean that those who lack food, shelter, family and live in dire poverty do so because God wants them to.  Neither poverty nor wealth make any difference.  In many cases both of those states in life are the result of human sinfulness.  In the Gospel of Luke, the wealthy person is in far greater danger of spiritual disaster.  True wealth comes from being exalted in the sight of God.   AMEN