Got back this weekend from a week away with the whole family. What a blessing. But what a hit my morning routine takes. Good to be back at my desk . . .

Give me the choice, and I’ll take reserved seating over general admission any day of the week. I’ll pay the premium to pick my own seat. And, based on what I can afford, I’ll pick the best seat. But if I’m picking up on what Jesus’ is laying down this morning, when it comes to the kingdom of heaven, I may have to rethink that a bit.

Now [Jesus] told a parable to those who were invited [to dine at the house of a ruler of the Pharisees (v.1)], when He noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor . . . But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, . . . For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

(Luke 14:7-11 ESV)

Invited to a feast. Every seat’s available when you arrive — from front row center, to back row behind the post. Your pick. Where ya’ gonna sit?

Kingdom thinking says, “Humble yourself. Take the worst seat in the house and leave the better seats for others.” Oh man, how much re-wiring I still need to default to kingdom thinking!

Abase yourself. Make yourself low. Reduce your stature. Embrace a lower rank. If I’m honest, not my natural inclination. But, praise God, it can be more of how I’m supernaturally inclined. Not through great determination and discipline, but through abiding (John 15:5). It can be my inclination because of the reality that “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). It is the fruit of my union with Christ – humbling myself because Jesus humbled Himself.

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though He was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

(Philippians 2:5-8 ESV)

Jesus emptied Himself. Taking the form of a servant. He humbled Himself. And this mind, is yours in Christ Jesus.

It’s the mind that, when it walks into the feast, is content to move to the back row. When it has the pick of the litter, chooses the least. When it’s drawn to the spotlight, defers to another. When it can afford reserved seating, is content for general admission. It’s the mind of the One who humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. And the humble mind can be mine mind – if I’ll have this mind – through my union with Christ.

Oh, to have this mind more and more.

“He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30 ESV)

Only by His grace. Always for His glory.