Getting the Proper Perspective
Summary
Jesus turns the world upside down. He says that those who exalt themselves will not end up that way. They, in one way or another, will be humbled.
On the other hand, Jesus said that the person who humbles himself will be exalted. One thinks of St. Francis of Assisi, of Mother Teresa, of the Netherlands' saint, Corrie Ten Boom. We hail them for their loving contributions to the world and especially the church. Their pattern for living should also be ours as well.
There is a story about a pastor who visited his mother one Sunday after a worship service. He was still thinking about the sermon he had preached and was quite pleased with how well it had gone. In fact, his ego was so inflated that he asked his mother, "Mom, how many truly great preachers do you think there are in the world?" His mom didn't hesitate a second to answer. "I don't know," she said, "but I think there is one less than you think there are."
One hopes that they had a pleasant lunch together. A lesson in humility, however, is not a lesson a good many wish to learn.
Jesus’ lesson about humility
Our Scripture reading has to do with a lesson in humility, which Jesus taught one day when he went to dine with a Pharisee. You will remember that many Pharisees had trouble with their exaggerated pride and their considerable power. They were the ones who made many of the rules for Judaism at that time. They told what one could do or not do on the Sabbath. They told what one could eat or not eat, what was considered clean or unclean. They spelled out the rules for worship, what sacrifices were acceptable and the ones that were not. They developed some 633 laws, many of which were quite petty and legalistic. All Jews were expected to obey these rules, but of course, many did not. The rules were too numerous and too difficult.
Jesus condemned the lack of understanding and the harshness of the Pharisees. He said, "They tie up he
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