When they were little, my girls called it “budging” . . . and those who did it, “budgers.” Budging happens where people are required to line up for something. Budgers are those who, when they arrive, rather than take the next available place at the end of the line, find someone they know who is towards the front of the line and they join them . . . some say they butt in . . . my girls would say, “Hey, they budged! What budgers!” Doesn’t matter whether you’re standing in line to enter a theater, waiting in line to get something to eat, or lined up in traffic . . . nobody likes a budger. Truth be told though, in those situations, most of wish we could budge . . . but were taught it’s not polite to do so, and so we don’t . . . but if we could, we would. Naturally, we want to budge . . . Jesus warned against it.

In Luke 14 Jesus tells a story. He’s been invited to the house of a ruler of the Pharisees for a meal. It wasn’t just a quiet dinner for two . . . it was more of a banquet, Jesus being one of many guests. And Jesus notices something . . . that as the guests arrive, at least some of them jockey for position . . . “they chose the places of honor.” They wanted to sit at the head table. If there was focal point in the room, they wanted to be there . . . if there was to be a limelight, they wanted it shining on them . . . if there was a front of the line, they were budging in order to be there.

So Jesus throws a parable out there . . .

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”   (Luke 14:8-11 ESV)

Don’t claim the place of honor . . . don’t exalt yourself . . . don’t be a budger.

Though to differing degrees, there is something in the heart of little boys and girls, and of grown up men and women, that naturally makes them want to be budgers . . . to want to place themselves above others . . . to want their interests to be of greater importance than the interests of others. Jesus says, “Don’t do it!” Rather, go to the end of the line . . . sit in the lowest place . . . humble yourself.

That’s what Jesus did. Though He was God, very God, He didn’t consider the majesty and honor associated with His being something to be contended for and demanded. Instead, He made Himself “of no reputation” . . . and “He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Php. 2:7-8 NKJV). Jesus, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, went to the end of the line . . . presenting Himself as the meek and lowly Jesus. He who deserves the highest place, took the lowest place. He, before whom every knee will one day bow, relinquished His own interests for the sake of others. The Son of God, in order to redeem a fallen creation, willingly became the Lamb of God.

Therefore, it says, God highly exalted Him (Php. 2:9). He who allowed Himself to be subject to the shame of the cross and the weakness of death, was lifted up . . . raised from the dead on the third day . . . ascended into heaven . . . exalted at the right hand of the Father on high . . . given the name which is above every name. “For he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time He may exalt you . . . .   (1Peter 5:5-6 ESV)

I don’t need to make sure I’m at the front of the line . . . I don’t need to be a budger . . . I just need to trust in the One who created me and loves me so much that He sent His Son to redeem Me. I don’t need center stage . . . that’s Jesus’ place . . . the back row works just fine if only to be in His presence. Oh, that I might be content with the lowly place that He might be lifted up.

By His sanctifying grace . . . for His eternal glory.

Amen?