The Bible says:
“And He (Jesus) put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden by him; and he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
— Luke 14: 7-11 The “chief room” was the place or highchair of honor. There the most honorable man was seated by the host.
The Pharisees were proud and ambitious religious leaders, and sought power, position, and prestige. Their eyes were always on the highchair and they would take that chair uninvited.
If their honor did not match the honor for that chair but another ones did they would be publicly humiliated as they were removed to take a lower chair.
It would be presumptuous for a Pharisee to take the highchair and by so doing assuming everyone else thought he was as honorable as he thought himself to be, only to discover that he was wrong.
The proper thing to do was to avoid the highchair like a plague and sit in the lowest chair. In other words humble oneself rather that exalt oneself. Then one may or may not be exalted to the high chair.
King Solomon said:
“Put not forth thyself (exalt self) in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: for better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”
— Proverbs 25: 6, 7
Promotion comes from the Lord.
(Psalm 75: 6, 7) He never promotes those who promote themselves.
The high chair should still be avoided in our day and the lower seat preferred.
Are you going lower to go higher?
James H. Cagle is a Ray City resident who pastored several churches for a total of 11 years. Email him at pastorjameshcagle@ yahoo.com
