Low Places

 And He began speaking a parable to the invited guests when He noticed how they had been picking out the places of honor at the table, saying to them, 8“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for someone more distinguished than you may have been invited by him, 9and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in disgrace you proceed to occupy the last place. 10“But when you are invited, go and recline at the last place, so that when the one who has invited you comes, he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher’; then you will have honor in the sight of all who are at the table with you. 11“For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” Luke 14:7-11

For some reason, the Spirit brought this passage of Scripture to my mind today. Maybe it's for me. Maybe it's for you. Maybe it's for all of us.

No matter how much we may deny it, there is something within us that always seeks the high places. It's true in the world, and sadly, just as true in the church. True humility doesn't really exist apart from the empowering and filling of His Spirit. Someone said that we will see how much of a servant's heart is in us when we are treated like one. Paul said that he knew how to be abased, that is, treated as though he were nothing. He also said that he knew how to be content when he was treated as such. Paul knew that his value and dignity were not tied to what he was doing or how people saw him. It was linked into what the Father said He was and the dignity and value the Father bestowed upon him. That kind of knowing can only be realized through a crucified life. I expect that's why so few of us "know" it.

For most of us, when Jesus tells us to not seek the high place, but take the lesser place, I think our attitude is that we'll obey in that, but I think we harbor a belief that the low place is only temporary. It's not where He intends for us to stay. We expect that eventually, He'll elevate us to that place of honor. But.....what if He doesn't? What if the lowly place He puts us in is the lowly place He keeps us in. What then?

I was in full time ministry for 37 years. I pastored three churches. I was fully willing and desiring to go to all three, but I don't think I was actually intending that I stay there. I think, lingering in my heart and mind was the attitude that I would exceed in what was a lower place, and then be promoted into a higher one. I think there was the lingering thought that my achievements would be recognized, and He'd call me to a higher place. I think this is a common attitude in ministry, all types of ministry. It's a killing attitude. It's an attitude that I believe the church fosters. I've been to minister gatherings where it seemed more like a sports awards ceremony rather than a gathering of His shepherd/servants. And I'll admit that I wanted the award as much or more than anyone else.

As I said, I pastored three churches, the last after He had restored my ministry that had been seemingly lost when my marriage collapsed. It was a church plant....the lowly place. I remember that my attitude was I'd spend 5 years in the work, see it grow, and then move on to a better place. Maybe not that blatant an attitude, but it was there. The first few years went according to plan. We grew quickly, and people were noticing. Then, in the 4th year, all began to change. Where we had planted the church was a highly transient area. People moved in and out all the time. Suddenly, my congregation was moving out, going to other parts of the country for their profession, but few were coming in to replace them. The growth stalled, and though we continued to reach new people, we never had the kind of growth we had at first again. The low place was still the low place. This was where the Father began to break me of my pseudo-servant heart. The place I had intended to stay at for 5 years turned into 27. I never did achieve the high place, but I achieved something so much greater. I came to know that the low place isn't the low place at all. Not to Him. I began to see that success and failure wasn't a matter of what I achieved for Him. It was a matter of being faithful. Of, as someone said, "doing the best I could, with what I had, where I was." When we do that, the low place is a high place, regardless of what the opinions of the world or the church are.

I close with a memory of a phone call I once received. The couple had come into the area and were looking for a church. The wife told me of all the ministries they'd been a part of, and how they wanted to "serve." She then asked what the size of our fellowship was. When I told her, I could immediately sense her disappointment and disinterest. She wasn't looking for a place to serve. She was looking for an audience.....a large one. She wanted a platform, a stage. She didn't want the bowl and towel of a servant. How much like her are we? How willing are we to stay in the low place....if we know that's what is not only His will, but what is pleasing to Him? The stage, or the bowl and towel; which are we really seeking?

Blessings,

Pastor O