DEVOTION – DAY 566

Luke 14:8-11 “Be Humble”

Luke 14:8-11 “8 When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, “Give this person your seat.” Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when the host comes, he will say to you, “Friend, move up to a better place.” Then, you will be honored in the presence of the guests. 11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus was at the house of a prominent Pharisee. He noticed how his fellow guests were trying to pick the best seats at the table. Jesus told the above parable using what he witnessed at the Pharisees’ home, as a teaching tool, to teach a basic Biblical principle: people who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (v11). The Bible is full of examples of how the high and mighty are humbled eg Pharaoh in Exodus 14, when his army was swallowed up by the Red Sea. Then, there is the example of Moses who had spent 40 years in the desert tending to flocks of sheep. God chose him to lead the Israelites out of Egypt and form the nation of Israel. Another example is David who was a shepherd and youngest son of Jesse of Bethlehem. He was plucked out of obscurity and anointed by the prophet Samuel to lead Israel (1 Sam.16).

Today, we continue to see this Biblical principle applicable just as in ancient times. Shi Yongxin was born in Anhui, China. In 1984, when he was 16years old, he joined the Shaolin Temple and was ordained as a monk. He submitted to a life of celibacy and monastic life forgoing worldly pleasures. However, he rose quickly in the monastic hierarchy and by 1999, he became the abbot of Shaolin Temple, the youngest to do so in the history of the Temple. He embarked on the commercialization of Shaolin Temple turning the temple into a major tourist attraction and a global brand. He started many commercial enterprises and secretly amassed much wealth. He was rumored to have multiple relationships with many women and fathered many illegitimate children. All these rumors were hushed up because he was thought to have powerful backers. But when his backers fell from power, an investigation into his affairs caused his removal from his position as abbot in July 2025. He was an example of someone who exalted himself, who fell greatly from the height of his career to a life of disgrace. 

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you because You are always full of wisdom and truth. Please help us to remain humble and wanting to seek you first over all things always. Please protect us from worldliness and its dangers. We humbly ask this in the precious name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. Why do people seek to exalt themselves first? What are the harmful effects of pride in the lives of people? Discuss.
  2. Why is it important for us to always remain humble and reliant upon God? Discuss.
  3. Share some examples where you have known of people who have fallen into disgrace after they had tried to exalt themselves.
  4. Share some examples where you have known of people who were humble and whose efforts and service were recognized and rewarded in the end.