During a recent orientation session we participated in a Bible study(several actually). The Bible study was from the lectionary for this Sunday; Luke 14:1,7-14.
On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely.
When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. "When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, `Give this person your place,' and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, `Friend, move up higher'; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."
He said also to the one who had invited him, "When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
One of Jesus' parables. How he loved to teach in parables, he invites you in and then – wham!
There you are looking in the mirror.
When I reflected on this passage I was reminded of several clergy that I have known and who have been a positive influenced on me. These specific clergy, both Bishop, Priest, and Deacon, were humble. How I wish I could say that all clergy, and all humankind for that matter, reflected the humbleness that Christ asked for, but we are all human so that is not the case. Though these specific clergy through their humbleness were also the most powerful and most effective clergy with whom I have been associated.
My reflection led me to see that those clergy who seemed to seek power seemed to have power elude them. And those clergy who freely gave power to others seem to be the most powerful and the most effective. I write this not to criticize any clergy in general or specific, rather this is a written note to myself, a reminder. I was so profoundly affected by the realization that their effectiveness resulted from their humbleness that I wanted to remind myself of this. I want to model my own life after their example. The lessons of Christ and the modeling by these clergy will guide me as I form my own life and ministry.
I also want to thank those clergy for modeling for me Christ's invitation to be humble.
Your servant in Christ,
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment