On Being Puffed Up
Luke 14:1, 7-14
August 25, 26, 2007

Jay Leno is one of my favorite comedians. I look forward to his regular Monday night segment of sharing hilarious headlines and off-the-wall stories from newspapers. One of the other routines that I really enjoy is his “good behavior/bad behavior” bit. One night he was talking about rules of etiquette for important occasions such as weddings. I know that some of you are in the midst of wedding planning, so here are some helpful tips from Jay!

Good Etiquette: Politely waiting in the receiving line for 10 minutes to kiss the bride.
Bad Etiquette: Kissing the bride for 10 minutes.
Good Etiquette: Providing a place for guests to place their gifts with a sign that says “Gift Table.”
Bad Etiquette: Having the groom place a sign by the gifts that reads “Yard Sale.”
Good Etiquette: The bride and the groom thank Uncle Harry for his check.
Bad Etiquette: They ask Uncle Harry for two forms of ID before accepting the check.

IN THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE LESSON FROM LUKE 14, JESUS OFFERS TIPS ON GOOD AND BAD BANQUET ETIQUETTE. It appears that Jesus takes on the role of “Mr. Manners,” kind of a masculine version of Emily Post or Ann Landers or Martha Stewart. Doesn’t it seem odd that the Son of God is dishing out seating instructions at a dinner party? And yet, strange as it seems, it is good advice! He helps the guests not only to avoid humiliation, but to practice humility. He suggests that they sit at the lowest place. “Take a place farthest from the host table—rather than taking the risk of being demoted from the highest place because someone more important shows up.”

Essentially, Jesus says: “Don’t honor yourself more than others do.” “Let the host shower you with public admiration by offering you a better seat.” I suspect that sometimes we read these Bible stories and think… “Oh, that happened long ago and far away and has nothing to do with our world today.”

But that is not the case with this story. For instance, there are people who travel around our country teaching courses such as “Table Manners for Executives.” One woman teaches etiquette to aspiring business executives. She offers instruction regarding which fork to use first and how to appropriately place one’s napkin. She says, “Companies find that one of the most important attributes for an executive is the ability to eat like an executive.” “One of the primary ways that companies decide who can handle things at the head office and who can’t is on the basis of how that person behaves at a table!”

In this story from Luke, Jesus is teaching a class called, “Table Manners for Disciples.” We discover that one of the important characteristics of discipleship is to eat like Jesus eats. And, as Jesus often does, he moves the discussion from the simple and mundane to deeper theological matters. “All who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Then he does something that would make Emily Post protest or Martha Stewart swoon! He hammers and hassles the host! Jesus has the audacity to “bite the hand” of the one who is feeding the folks at the banquet! He heckles the host by challenging him to come up with a different guest list! He cautions people about being puffed up—thinking too highly of themselves! Anybody can invite their friends to dinner—invite some people who really need to eat!

HUMILITY—ESPECIALLY THE LACK OF IT—HAS BEEN A PROBLEM AS LONG AS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN AROUND. Examples of people exalting themselves are epidemic in our culture today. In the world of entertainment and sports, we tend to idolize and pedestal-ize celebrities and star athletes. There is a long list of characters that show up on magazine covers who have come to believe that they are so famous and so rich and so powerful that they can live above the law. I don’t know about you, but there is something strangely satisfying about seeing people like this brought to justice.

I confess that I’m sinning by being judgmental and celebrating. And I confess that I’m being hypocritical based on my diet and what happens along the way to the things that end up on my plate. But I hope Michael Vick stays in jail for a while—at least long enough to kiss his multi-million dollar contract goodbye—and at least long enough to have a little talk with Jesus. David Letterman had a good line last week. He said, “You know that Michael Vick has pled guilty to dog fighting charges.” “And now they are going to take him to jail, escort him to his cell, and say, ‘Michael, stay!’” After the Saturday night service, someone offered a more hopeful and redemptive line: “Michael, heal.” And that would be spelled “h-e-A-l.”

We also see a lack of humility in the political world. Some of you know the name Hal Sonnenfeldt. Sonnenfeldt served on the National Security Council—but he is remembered by many for another reason. He became famous for inserting himself into pictures with the President. Any time there was a photo-opportunity, he would find a way to get next to the President. His skill earned him a nickname from Secret Service agents—Sonnenfeldt was known as the Ferret! He would always find a way to weasel himself into pictures with the President.

I had friends like that in my high school class. One year several of them had a contest to see how many times they could get their picture in the yearbook. Whenever there was a call for a group to have its picture taken, they would show up—whether they were in the group or not. When the yearbooks came out, many intrigued students and teachers were impressed! “I had no idea you were in the Latin Club!” “I didn’t know you were on the chess team!” “How did you find the time to be on the Beta Club!”

Humility—it can also be difficult to find in religious circles. There has been a parade of prideful proclamations from faith groups down through the centuries—and some recently. Church leaders make it clear that their path to God is the one and only true path. Then they go on to denounce exclusionary practices in the Church!

Historically, the Church has even played games with the furniture. Some of you know the meaning of the root word for “pew.” Our word “pew” comes from a French word that means “raised place.” In the early years in our country, prominent families were allowed to sit in roped-off sections, separate from the common folk. Instead of “smoking” and “non-smoking” seating, they had “snobbing” and “non-snobbing” seating. At some point, somebody finally realized that this practice was preposterous—as well as unbiblical—so they disposed of the seats of honor and all benches became pews.

But humility was swept under the carpet again by the 18th century when certain families were allowed to buy their pews. In some churches, you could even buy “box pews”—like box seats at a ball game! Then well-to-do worshippers began to decorate their boxes—even installing comfortable chairs and other accessories! Oh, the games people play; oh, the games God’s people play.

“FOR ALL WHO EXALT THEMSELVES WILL BE HUMBLED; AND THOSE WHO HUMBLE THEMSELVES WILL BE EXALTED.” How difficult it is to hear these words in a society that is so impressed by power and prestige and money and who is number one in the polls! Some of our young people have headed off to college for the first time. You may have heard the story about one young woman who was applying for a well-respected university. Her heart sank when she read the question on the application that asked, “Are you a leader?” Being both honest and conscientious, she wrote, “No.” She returned the application, expecting the worst. To her surprise, she received this letter from the college: “Dear Applicant: A study of the application forms reveals that this year our college will have 1,452 new leaders.” “We are accepting you because we feel it is imperative that they have at least one follower.”

That’s what Jesus is looking for—followers, disciples, humble folks. Leaders, yes—but servant leaders who are willing to turn the world right side up by turning it upside down. Leaders, yes—but servant leaders who are willing to empty themselves out and to make room for God’s Spirit to get in. Joan Webb wrote a book titled Meditations for Christians Who Try to Be Perfect. She confesses, “Years ago I asked God to fill my cup.” “Instead, it seemed, God ate my lunch!” “As I saw my dreams fade away, I worked harder to hold on and eventually burned out.” “I wondered where God was and why things happened the way they did.” “Now as I reflect back, I wonder if God could not fill my cup because I already had it full with my own personal agenda.” “I wanted to accomplish great things for God, but I had my own ideas.” “Perhaps God was waiting for me to get out of the way?”

Some of you know the name Emil Léger? At one time he was one of the most respected religious leaders in Canada. He was a person of deep courage and conviction and humility. But one day he put aside his red vestments and stately hat. One day he walked away from his office in Montreal and Quebec City. One day he disappeared. Years later he was found living among the lepers and disabled and the outcasts of a small African village. The Canadian journalist who tracked him down asked him: “Why?” “Why did you give up such a prominent, powerful position?” He said, “Because of what will be the great scandal of the history of our century.” “600 million people are eating well and living luxuriously while 3 billion people starve.” “Every year millions of children are dying of hunger.” “I am too old to change all that.” “The only thing I can do which makes sense is to be present.” “I must simply be in the midst of them.” “So, just tell people in Canada that you met an old priest.” “Tell them that I am a priest who is happy to be old.” “Tell them that I am happy to be among those who suffer.” “Tell them that I am happy to take them into my heart and welcome them to my Table.”