Jesus was a master psychologist. He knew that all of us crave recognition. He knew that the desire for status is an innate part of the human condition. Most of us don’t want to simply keep up with the Jones we want to be slightly ahead of the Jones, the Smiths and everyone else on the block.
There is a popular joke about a fellow named Pat who always wanted a telephone in his car. Finally he got one. He couldn’t wait to tell his best friend Mike. Mike was green with envy. That very day he ordered a telephone for his car. He immediately called Pat. "Pat," he said, "I’m calling you from the telephone in my car." Imagine his feelings when Pat said, "Excuse me for a moment, Mike, my other telephone is ringing."
It is very human to want to be one up on our best friends. That is true today. It was true 2,000 years ago. Jesus knew that, and he saw an opportunity to use that very natural craving to teach some very useful lessons. "When you are invited to a wedding feast," he said, "do not sit down in a place of honor. A more prominent person than you might come in and the host will have to ask you to move to a lower place. This would be most embarrassing. Rather choose a seat of less prominence and let the host request that you move to a more important position." You can sense in this little lesson Jesus’ great sense of humor. But then comes the clincher, "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
I am reminded of an answer Baron Rothschild once gave when asked about seating important guests. His answer was, "Those that matter won’t mind where they sit and those who do mind, don’t matter."
Jesus followed this very practical lesson with another. Turning to the host of the banquet, Jesus said, "When you give a banquet, don’t invite your friends or your family for they can invite you in return and you will be repaid. Instead, when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed for they cannot repay you. You will be repaid at the resurrection for the just."
Obviously Jesus was not interested in helping his disciples win the status game. He knew, however, how potent this drive to be No. 1 is. Ask any employer what is the most important motivator of employees besides money and he or she will say, "Recognition." As someone once put it, "If we had our way, most of us would choose the front of the bus, the back of the church, and the center of attention." (1) It is clear that Jesus was seeking to channel this passion for recognition so that it might be a force for the Kingdom of God. Thus in his own colorful way he was teaching his disciples some lessons about the nature of true greatness.
IN THE FIRST PLACE HE WAS WARNING HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF PRIDE. Nothing is more demeaning to a person than a lifetime spent tugging on other people’s sleeves shouting, "Look at me! Look at me! See how great I am!"
It is said that the infamous criminal John Dillinger once ran into a farmhouse and repeatedly yelled at the farm family, "My name is John Dillinger. I’m not going to hurt you. I just wanted you to know that my name is John Dillinger." We are told that the plainspoken wife of the household calmly said, "Now that we know your name, wipe your feet, state you business, and be on your way. We’ve got butter to churn." A pathetic craving for recognition can cause people to do crazy thing seven become a notorious killer.
But pride can hinder us in other ways. I was reading about Margaret Mitchell, the author of that fantastically popular novel about the Civil War, GONE WITH THE WIND. It is said that she personified many of the characteristics which she ascribed to Scarlett O’HARA she was a neurotic and immature egotist. One biographer wrote that Margaret Mitchell could never endure a conversation of which she was not the subject. Perhaps that is why she never produced another novel. When you are totally absorbed in yourself, you do not grow.
Pride causes us to do foolish things. Pride keeps us from growing. Pride also keeps us from reaching out to others. One of the saddest characters in American literature is Willy Woman, in Arthur Miller’s classic play, "Death of a Salesman". Poor Willy was always going to make that "big sale." He was going to bring home a fortune one of these days then people would give him the recognition that he truly deserved. But the big sale never came. Then he boasted of the people who would come to his funeral, for everyone loves a salesman. Sadly the only people who attended Willy’s funeral were his wife and two sons-the ones whom he most neglected while he played the big shot.
That’s what pride does to us. But one thing more. Pride keeps us from getting the help we really need. It is said that in the Middle Ages most of the knights were desperately poor, but very proud. Therefore, some of the less fortunate knights would venture forth from their lodgings, having scattered a few crumbs in their whiskers, hoping to convince the world that they had eaten well. (2) What a classic picture of misplaced pride! How many of us wear crumbs in our beard, as it were, to keep others from seeing our real need. No wonder Jesus warned his disciples about the danger of pride.
However, a second thing needs to be said at this point. THE KIND OF PRIDE JESUS WAS WARNING HIS DISCIPLES ABOUT IS DIFFERENT FROM THE HEALTHY SENSE OF SELF-WORTH THAT OUGHT TO CHARACTERIZE A FOLLOWER OF JESUS CHRIST. It is important to say this because persons with a low sense of self-esteem are often attracted to religion. Since the Bible teaches meekness and patience and love, the Christian faith has been used by many persons to justify their playing the part of the doormat. People who are constantly putting themselves down are just as far from the Kingdom of God as those who are constantly puffing themselves up. You are a child of God-a unique creation of the divine mind-a person for whom Jesus Christ died. You are somebody! To declare that you are a nobody, a person of insignificant worth, is to deny the whole reality of Christ’s death on the cross. He did not die for a worthless clod of humanity. He died for somebody important. He died for you.
Advice Columnist Ann Landers receives twelve million letters each year twelve million letters asking advice or simply commenting on every conceivable topic, problem and complaint that human beings in America can live with. In a recent interview, David Brinkley asked her: "What is the most frequent question people ask in letters to you?" Miss Landers replied that the most frequently asked question was, "What’s wrong with me?" "I’m a teenager and can’t get a date for the basketball game. What’s wrong with me." "I’m sixty-seven and a widow, but my children never write and seldom visit; what’s wrong with me?" "I have been married and divorced three times, what’s wrong with me?" "I’m bright and talented and work hard, but I never get a promotion I want; what’s wrong with me?" I have just found out that my son uses marijuana; what’s wrong with me?"(3)
Have you ever asked that question? I guess we all have. Now it may be that something is wrong with us something we need to correct. But if we are doing the best that we can, we need to relax and affirm our worth in the sight of God.
A little boy said to his mother, "Hey, Mom, I’m eight feet tall." His mother said, "Son, that is impossible. What did you measure yourself with?" He brought out his measuring stick. It was a six inch ruler.
Some of us are measuring ourselves with a six inch ruler. Others of us are measuring ourselves with an eighteen inch ruler. Either way we get a distorted measurement. We puff ourselves up or we say, "Woe is me, I am no better than my fathers," as Elijah did when he went into the wilderness in self-pity. See yourself through the eyes of God. His measurement of you is the only one that really matters. He sees and knows that you are not perfect, but he accepts you and loves you just as you are.
But there is one thing more that must be added. Jesus words to his host about inviting, "the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind..." says to us that when brownie points are added up in Heaven, it won’t be on the basis of our educational achievements or our financial accumulation. There is only one path to greatness in the kingdom of God, and that is the path of service.
After many years of service to mankind, Albert Schweitzer wrote: "The only ones among you who will be really happy are those who will have sought and found how to serve."
We can take that testimony to be accurate since Schweitzer lived out so well the philosophy that he taught.
General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, knew that kind of happiness. Many consider him to be the most humble Christian to have lived since the Apostle Paul. During a Salvation Army Convention in London, England, the moderator read a telegram from Booth who was unable to attend because of illness. The message consisted of only one word: "Dear Delegates-Others". (signed) George Booth."
Mother Teresa is another person who has discovered the real source of contentment in this world. One day she was visiting one of the poor souls the world had forgotten. His room was really not much and filthy. She wanted to clean it up but the man said that he was all right and refused her help.
Nevertheless, this modern saint persisted until he gave in. As she cleaned a lamp that was obviously unused for many years, she asked him why he had not lighted it. She encouraged him to do so.
One day, after the Sisters were permitted to visit him regularly, he said, "Tell my friend (Mother Teresa) the light she has lit in my life is still burning." (4)
You and I in our affluence and comfort need to be reminded that long after we have been forgotten, the world still remembers the Albert Schweitzers, William Booths and Mother Teresas of this world.
And, of course, the world will never forget Jesus of Nazareth the ultimate man for others. My friend, what kind of status are you seeking-a BMW, a Rolex watch, a house on the golf course and a cabin in the mountains? Give some thought to the words of the Master: "For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
Beware of pride. But also beware of devaluating a life Christ gave his life for. Your life. And always remember, greatness belongs to those who serve.
1. Arnold J. Glascow in THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
2. Dr. Eugene Brice
3. Michael Scrogin, PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CHRISTIAN LIVING (Valley Forge: Judson Press, 1985)
4. Dr. John Bardsley