Daily Devotionals

Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place Week 4: Friday

For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Luke 14:11

If we let go of pride in our lives, we must trade it for something else. The opposite of pride is humility. Pride teaches us that we look out for ourselves. Humility teaches us to look out for others. Pride has an over-inflated sense of self. Humility values others over ourselves. Most people choose pride, but Scripture invites us to choose humility instead.

Jesus taught a group of people about the importance of humility in Luke 14. He was at a dinner, and he realized that everyone was trying to sit in the seats of honor, which were "near the head of the table" (verse 7). As a result, He called out their pride, saying, "When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor" (verse 8). Instead, He told them, "take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored" (verse 10). Then, He summarized His main point from this teaching, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (verse 11). Make no mistake, friends, God honors those who choose humility. 

We all have moments of pride. This pride is the result of our sinful nature. In our pride, when we try to exalt ourselves, we will inevitably be humbled in some way. We make a mistake, have an embarrassing moment, or something else. When we humble ourselves, God will exalt us. We must, however, take steps to let go of our pride and choose humility instead.

Moving toward action

What act of humility can you do today? Maybe you need to apologize to someone. That requires humility. Maybe you need to acknowledge someone at work doing a great job. Maybe you can serve someone in need by taking them a meal or something else they need. Whatever God is calling you today, choose to take a step of humility today.

Going Deeper

Luke 14:1-12

"One Sabbath day Jesus went to eat dinner in the home of a leader of the Pharisees, and the people were watching him closely. 2 There was a man there whose arms and legs were swollen. 3 Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in religious law, "Is it permitted in the law to heal people on the Sabbath day, or not?" 4 When they refused to answer, Jesus touched the sick man and healed him and sent him away. 5 Then he turned to them and said, "Which of you doesn't work on the Sabbath? If your son[b] or your cow falls into a pit, don't you rush to get him out?" 6 Again they could not answer.

Jesus Teaches about Humility
7 When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: 8 "When you are invited to a wedding feast, don't sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? 9 The host will come and say, 'Give this person your seat.' Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

10 "Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, 'Friend, we have a better place for you!' Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

12 Then he turned to his host. "When you put on a luncheon or a banquet," he said, "don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward."