I once had the stupid idea that people who held subordinate positions, or worked with their hands or got dirtier, or made less money, or had less education, or lived in a poorer part of town or in a smaller house, or had a different accent or used poor English, or didn’t dress as nice, were somehow of less value and/or not as smart as me. The longer I live the more I realize how dumb that attitude was.
In Luke 14 Jesus talked about the ambitious wedding guest that sat down in a higher position than he should have, and had to be asked by the host to give up his seat to a more honorable guest. He should have assumed a lower position and he would have been honored in front of the other guests when asked to move up higher. Jesus said, “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (Vs 11).
Proverbs 3:34 says, “he scorneth the scorners: but he giveth grace to the lowly”. Proverbs 15:33, “before honor is humility”. Again in 18:12, “Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honor is humility”. James 4:6 says, “God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble”. Again in 5:5, “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble”.
“For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption: That according as it is written, He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord”. (I Corinthians 1:26-31)
I believe the deepest, most complex and profound theology in the scriptures can be expressed in only three words, “Jesus loves me”. He knows everything I’ve ever done, everything I’ve ever said, and everything I’ve ever thought, and He loves me anyway……awesome isn’t it?
Instead of being concerned about our status in the pecking order, or who is more valuable, or who is smarter than whom; it would seem best if we spent our efforts feeding the hungry, giving drink to the thirsty, shelter to the stranger, clothes to the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned (Matthew 25:38-40)
