A WORD FOR TODAY, August 24, 2022
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, August 24, 2022
Lectionary Scriptures for August 28, 2022, Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost: Proverbs 25:2-10; Psalm 131; Hebrews 13:1-17; Luke 14:1-14
“Don’t exalt yourself in the presence of the king, or claim a place among great men; for it is better that it be said to you, ‘Come up here,’ than that you should be put lower in the presence of the prince, whom your eyes have seen.” Proverbs 25:6-7, WEB
One of the most difficult parts of being an artist is letting go of the paintings that I have worked on for a long time. They become like children to me. Will the buyer put that piece in a place of prominence, or will it end up in a dark corner? I had one person question whether the piece would hold up in a steamy bathroom.
I once took a consignment; the person loved my other work and trusted my creativity. I did what we discussed, but he was disappointed. I made a few changes according to his direction, including one that made it worse. I was able to make another change that helped, but his original requests were so odd that I could not make them work. I think he realized the foolishness of his demands after it was finished, but I told him he did not have to take the piece. He tried to consign another, but I refused because I did not think he’d be happy with anything. He took the piece anyway and planned to give it as a gift to a friend. I have often wondered what happened to that piece; I’ll probably never know. Maybe it ended up in a dark corner or steamy bathroom.
I have had the pleasure of seeing my work receive acclaim. I make paintings for silent auctions, and some have sold for much more than their retail value. I recently posted a painting on Facebook that I made to build inventory for a show I’m attending next month, and someone wanted to buy it within minutes of posting. Two other people asked for similar paintings. I visited an aunt a few years ago and noticed that a painting I sent her was prominently placed on the wall of her living room. I also know that at least a few of my pieces have found their way into people’s guest bathrooms and other places where they are rarely seen. I want my art to make people happy. Whether it gets hung in a place of prominence, a dark corner, or a bathroom, once a piece leaves my studio, it is no longer mine and I must be humble enough to let it go.
What does it mean to be humble? I think one of the hardest things for me is to “sell myself.” I meet with a group of artists occasionally and I have been asked, “How do you market your work?” I don’t, really. Oh, I post a few pictures on Facebook and I attend a craft fair or two. I open my studio occasionally and invite people to see what I have to offer. Mostly I give my paintings away as donations for silent auctions or galas. I would never do well as a professional.
As Christians, we live in a paradox. On the one hand, the world expects us to boldly blow our own horn so that we can get ahead. As Christians, however, we are reminded that we are called to be like Jesus, who had it all but humbled Himself for the sake of the world. In today’s Gospel lesson, Jesus told the crowds not to rush for the best seats at a banquet. He reminded them that there are others who may deserve to sit higher, and that it is better to sit lowly and be raised rather than to choose the best seat and be humiliated when asked to move. “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” So, too, it is with us: if we think too highly of ourselves, we will find that there is someone greater. But if we humbly accept the least, we’ll find ourselves raised.
There was an article in Reader’s Digest called, “13 Secrets a Reality TV Show Producer Won’t Tell you.” I’m sure that none of us are surprised by any of these secrets. The first, “Reality TV is actually not real.” While we might want to believe that there is some semblance of reality in these shows, we all know they are not documentaries. After all, they film for hours every day with multiple cameras. In one case, it is eleven cameras for eight hours seven days a week. They end up with 616 hours of footage, out of which we see 42 minutes. It is easy to use those 42 minutes to make the contestants say whatever they want them to say.
They edit everything. Most of it is not scripture, but it is edited to make the contestants say what the producer wants them to say. They even do what’s called, “frankenbiting,” which is a process of fitting words and phrases together from different conversations to create the conversation they want to present. The contestants are not real, either. They are often actors who play characters created to make the show interesting. In one case, a person who was ‘cast’ as a villain turned out to be the nicest person on the cast. The producer convinced her to play along, or she would be fired (sent home early.) Even the winners are sometimes planned ahead of time, so the judges do not always have a real say in who goes home. If a character is good for ratings, they will stay no matter how terrible they are.
I don’t watch much reality TV these days, but the truth in that article makes me wonder about the characters I loved or hated in the past. I want to love the humble contestant, the one who is kind to others. I always grumbled when someone was allowed to stay who should have been sent home. “How could they possibly leave that one continue on the show?” we wonder. From the article we know why the wrong person continues: that person is a moneymaker for the show. They keep it interesting. They give them good footage. They may even be much better than we see because 615 hours and 18 minutes of footage end up on the cutting room floor. They’ve created an image that is not real, and they’ve made us love or hate their characters by their editing.
I think what bothers me most about the reality shows is how the contestants are always appear so sure of themselves. They have this haughty, better-than-everyone-else attitude. I understand that the contestants must be confident of their ability to succeed in a competition, and who doesn’t want to win? What isn’t necessary is the way they talk against the other contestants, especially when they are in danger of being kicked off the show. Some speak to their own failure and promise to do better, with an acknowledgement that they have more talent than it appeared that day. Others, however, only point out the failures of the other competitors. They insist, no matter how terrible they were, that they are the best choice. I have seen contestants on cooking shows claim that their meal was better even though they probably didn’t even taste the other’s meal.
I would pick humble over arrogant every time. Unfortunately, we all know that humility doesn’t make for exciting television, and it is the arrogant ones that get through for another chance. You can sometimes figure out who is going home by the way they’ve edited the footage. When a contestant talks about it being their day to shine, the reality is that they end up failing miserably. When they say that they are going to win a challenge, they come up with the worst presentation. At the height of their arrogance, they are often humiliated.
When we put our focus on ourselves, we become self-centered and demanding. We expect others to bow to our greatness, to give us what we think we deserve. But the world of the proud is a frightful place because the haughty never stay at the top for long. There is always someone better who will come along to put us in our place. So, we live in fear that someone else will do what we did to get ahead. We become paranoid that everyone is out to destroy us. When we are not content with our lot in life, we think that no one else is content either. In our pride, we refuse the opportunities that will make us truly blessed because we are too busy fighting to stay on top.
In the passage from Proverbs, the writer tells us that God’s glory is in what is hidden, but kings’ glory is in the search for God. We might know that heaven and hell are far from us, but we can’t know what’s in the heart of a king. Silver must be refined, for it is in the silver without the dross that we’ll have something precious, so too a king must be cleansed of wickedness to be righteous. The rest of the passage talks about our humility before the king, remembering to take the lowly place and to deal with our neighbors privately.
The writer of Hebrews talks about being a good host, because in doing so we might actually entertain angels. We should seek justice, live honorably and chaste, avoid greed, be obedient to those who have been chosen to lead us, do good and share our resources with others. When we trust in God, we need not pursue after the places of honor or the satisfaction of our lusts and greed. The humble will be lifted, and the place of honor is much greater than anything a man can offer. We will be seated in the presence of God to bask in His glory for eternity. For this we most certainly can praise God.
In the Gospel lesson, Jesus was invited to dine with the rulers of the Pharisees, and they were watching Him closely. They believed that outward appearances were of the utmost importance, and they wanted to see if Jesus was living according to the Law, doing what He was supposed to do. Would He maintain His own purity, especially in their presence?
Jesus noticed a man with dropsy; a man with such a disease was considered unclean and untouchable. Jesus asked the lawyers if it was alright to heal someone on the Sabbath. They didn’t answer, so Jesus “took him, and healed him, and let him go.” The word here translated “took” means to take hold of or grasp, so Jesus didn’t just say a few words to heal him. Jesus touched the unclean man, an act that would have made him unclean in the eyes of all those lawyers. Before they could say anything, Jesus asked, “Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” They couldn’t answer this one, either, because they certainly would disobey the Sabbath laws to save their sons or oxen.
Jewish theologians believed God’s providence continued to govern the world. This was confirmed by the fact that people were born and died on the Sabbath. Consequently, the belief developed that God exercised two prerogatives on the Sabbath: He gave life, and he executed judgment (2 Kings 5:7.) So only God could “work” on the Sabbath and healing was considered work. By healing the man with dropsy, Jesus not only touched the untouchable, but He did the unthinkable: He blasphemed. He made Himself equal with God.
Jesus told them a story about a group of people gathering for a meal; many of them sought the places of honor as they arrived. They wanted to be close to the host. They wanted to be the center of attention. They wanted to be in the middle of the action, to impress others with their goodness, their power, and their position. Jesus told those listening that they should not seek out the best seats, but instead should humble themselves before their host. Those whose humility is greater than their desire will be raised up before all men. Those who seek to be honored above all others will find themselves dishonored before the world.
Just as Christ was a humble servant for the people to whom He was sent, we are called to live in faith and share the message of forgiveness and freedom from our burdens with the world. By living a life of humble action, giving to others and sharing God’s grace, we may not end up with fame or fortune or have a huge impact on our world, but we will bless those who see God glorified in our lives and we will share in that blessing.
We tend to think highly of ourselves. We each have talents and knowledge that make us a little better than another. I’m a better photographer than some of the professionals I’ve seen. I’m a better writer than some of the bloggers I’ve read. I’m a better painter than some of the artists I’ve met. While I might be better than others, I know that there are many who are much better than I am. That’s the trouble with thinking too highly of ourselves: even though we might be good at what we do, there is always someone better. I could never hope to compete with professional photographers, writers, and artists in this world, and I don’t think I want to try. I’m happy to do what I do and hope that those who buy or receive my work will find joy in them.
The psalmist writes, “Yahweh, my heart isn’t haughty, nor my eyes lofty; nor do I concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.” I must confess that I hope one day my paintings will grace the walls of a museum. I don’t think I’m alone in my desire to accomplish something lasting with my work. Yet, we do not always realize how much our work is needed in the dark corners and bathrooms of this world. It is there, perhaps, that my paintings will bring someone the most joy.
We are encouraged by today’s scriptures to settle for a lower place until someone values us enough to give us a lift, yet we live in a world that demands we “sell ourselves.” How do we live in this paradox? How do we do what it necessary to succeed and yet also remain humbly respectful of those who are inevitably better? This isn’t a question of worth or ability. It is a matter of pride. It is good to give an employer reason to hire you, to do a good job, and to show that you are a valuable asset to any company or organization; it is not good to be too proud. Pride, after all, is one of the seven deadly sins.
The random thoughts in today’s passages come together in the life and work of Jesus Christ. He shows us how to be kind to our neighbor, to touch the untouchable, to have mercy and grace, and to do good. He shows us how to be humble, to stop worrying about what others think of us, and to trust in God. Jesus shows us that heaven is much closer than we can ever imagine because God has come to dwell among His people, to heal us, and to make us clean and pure.
The writer of Hebrews gives us an image of the life of faith manifested in this world. He calls Christians to love one another, to be hospitable to the stranger, empathetic to the imprisoned, faithful in relationships and content in everything. He calls us to look to God who supplies everything we need: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. He reminds us to remember the witnesses who have shared the Gospel of Christ with us so that we might be saved and follow their example.
“Through him, then, let us offer up a sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of lips which proclaim allegiance to his name. But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.” The life of faith, the life of humility, is manifested as we do good for others. When we trust in God, we need not pursue after the places of honor or the satisfaction of our lusts and greed. The humble will be lifted, and the place of honor is much greater than anything a man can offer. We will be seated in the presence of God to bask in His glory for eternity. For this we most certainly can praise God.
Jesus tells us in the Gospel lesson that we should not do things for the sake of the impression we’ll make on others. Instead of inviting people to our feasts so that they will return the favor, we are to use our resources to feed those who can’t pay us back. We are called to lift them up, to make them better, to do for them what Jesus has done for us. We are called to invite them to the table so that they can experience grace.
Here’s the problem with human nature: when we see ourselves as better than others, we are unable to see that they are good for us, too. Like the reality show contestants, we get stuck in the idea that we are better than the other guy and we miss the opportunities to share God’s grace and to help them grow. We want to win, and we think we are the ones who should win, so we ignore the possibilities and opportunities to help others.
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, empathy is the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner. Most of our problems come at us slowly. Bad financial times do not usually come with the purchase on just one item, but with a lifestyle of buying that does not fit income. A dollar here and a dollar there all build to a debt that is out of control. Long standing relationships do not fail over one fight but over years of miscommunication. Nobody gains a hundred pounds overnight. Instead, it comes one chocolate bar at a time.
Once we are stuck in the middle of our problems it is hard to see a way out. Our accumulated debt is impossible to overcome. Our broken relationships seem beyond repair. Our physical problems are out of our control. Sometimes it takes an outsider to help us find the solution. There are credit repair agencies, relationship counselors, fitness coaches all willing to help us overcome our problems. We may look at them and think that they cannot possibly understand our situation, but they do. They can see the journey we took from the outside. They have often experienced it themselves and have overcome, giving them insight to the problem.
It is not easy to allow someone into our problems to help us. It is even harder to empathize with others. The writer of Hebrews reminds us to “Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; they that are illtreated, as being yourself also in the body.” How do we identify with people in prison or tortured? How do we stand up for those who can’t stand up for themselves, especially when we know that we would never get into the same type of trouble?
This passage is about love for others. We not only love others by doing things for them, but in helping them to what is good and right and true for themselves. The writer lists hospitality for strangers. In our world today we are afraid that the stranger may be someone who can harm us, but what if that stranger were an angel? The marriage bed has nearly become a joke, with divorce statistics so high and unfaithfulness nearly acceptable. Greed, the root of many of our problems, can creep up on us and grow as we see more and more that we think we need to have whether it is material possessions or intangible things.
Through it all there is one thing to remember: we can trust God. We do not need to make ourselves better, but instead should look at those of faith who have come before us to see that in life with God we do not need to have power over others. Instead, we can imitate their lives of humility and servanthood, just as Christ was a humble servant for the people to whom He was sent. The sacrifice we are called to offer is not merely financial or physical, but a sacrifice of praise in God’s name. As the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “But don’t forget to be doing good and sharing, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.”
Pride means putting ourselves above the God who is our Creator and Redeemer. Humility means sitting in the lesser place and meeting the needs of others. When we put others, especially God, ahead of ourselves and do what is right, we will find ourselves to be greatly blessed. God sees the humble heart and draws it to Himself. There is no better place for us to dwell. Trusting God is where we’ll find joy.
It is a fine line we walk between boldness and humility. We know on the one hand that we’ll never get ahead if we do not take the reins of our own future. Sitting near the host at a dinner would certainly be a way of moving ahead in life. The conversation might lead to opportunities and relationships that could change our lives. However, if we put ourselves forward too far, we might find ourselves being asked to move back. It is much better to choose the humble position and to allow the host to invite us forward. The key to success is finding the right balance.
What are we doing for God? Are we acting in His behalf? Are we working for His purpose? Are we humbling ourselves for the sake of others? If we do so, we’ll find treasures waiting for us in heaven. However, if we spend our time, talents, and resources for the sake of our own honor and glory, we might just find that our buildings will come tumbling down. Jesus reminds us that all those who exalt themselves will be humbled and all those who are humble will be exalted. For God is longing to bring those who live by faith and who glorify Him to the place of honor at His banqueting table in eternity.
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