⁷ When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice: ⁸ “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? ⁹ The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table!

¹⁰ “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests. ¹¹ For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

¹² Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. ¹³ Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. ¹⁴ Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” (Luke 14:7-14, New Living Translation)

Dallas Willard in the newest book published by his family, The Scandal of the Kingdom, dives into the very practical with how Jesus used parables to teach powerful principles of the Kingdom of God. Jesus would use ordinary examples, such as dinner parties, to teach how the Kingdom of God was very different to how the world operates.

The dinner party was about self importance and self promotion in Jesus’ day. (Okay, it’s true in our day as well, in some circles.)

As people came in, what was important was where you were seated in relation to the host. The host was the benefactor. You wanted to be seen with him. Truth be told, he probably invited you because he felt YOU were important as well. It’s how dinner parties worked.

We want our photo op near people of influence.

But Jesus flips the script. What the Kingdom is about is the great inversion: The person who is last on the scale of human importance may well be first, and the person who is first on the scale of human importance may well be last.

To exalt one’s self is actually to be demeaned. (p. 73)

I find this battle within myself far too much. One thing I dislike is a group introducing themselves. Check that. One thing I dislike is a group of clergy introducing themselves. We lead with our resumes. It drives me nuts. It takes forever to get done and the subtle (and not so subtle) ways people bring up their good works and education and experiences…

Yet, I find myself doing the same thing when I go unchecked.

What Dallas Willard recommends as a remedy for this poisonous act is the discipline of secrecy. It is a prayer I pray all the time: “Lord, save me from myself!”

The discipline of secrecy: Consciously refraining from having our good deeds and qualities generally known, which, in turn, rightly disciplines our longing for recognition.

Do something for someone else… and don’t tell them it was you. Bonus points for not telling anyone else you did it, either!

When you are in that group where everyone needs to introduce themselves, go with “name, rank, and serial number.” Just stick to the basics. Bonus points for not even mentioning your rank.

Have a dinner where you invite people you don’t expect to get a return invitation! Have a dinner party where you put away phones and refrain from pictures. Have a dinner party where you invite only those you know couldn’t invite you back because they just don’t have the resources. Bonus points for having the party and not telling anyone about it.

Go feed the hungry… without taking pictures you will post on social media.

This impacts me deeply. I want credit. I want recognition. It is a constant battle in my heart.

Spiritual disciplines like secrecy are available to set us free. Let the Kingdom of God be greater. Let my kingdoms fall!