SCRIPTURE: Esther 5
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.” [Esther 5:12-13]
Esther has a plan, so does Haman, and Xerxes is clueless in the middle of it all.
Haman’s ego is being fed by Esther, and his pride is being challenged by Mordecai.
For the moment, it seems that evil will triumph, the Jews will be killed and Mordecai will suffer a horrible death.
How will this story end?

When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honour. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed, and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honoured in front of all the other guests. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. [Luke 14:8-11]
Jesus lets us know how the story will ultimately end – those who exalt themselves will be humbled, those who humble themselves will be exalted.
Even if for the moment they have to endure shame, humility, the lesser place, their time will come.
Of course this is how Jesus lived: He emptied Himself of His God-position and became a human, a lowly servant and willingly submitted to a horrible death [see Philippians 2:1-11].
But how does that story end?

Pride insists on being first, and ends up being last; humility willingly takes the last place, and ends up being honoured.
Jesus is exalted, He is given the Name above all Names, every knee will bow to Him.
This is the way it works in God’s kingdom, the way that God chooses to restore His creation – this is the Jesus way.
So if I say I want to follow Jesus, am I also choosing to follow the Jesus way?
To willingly take the lesser place, to be servant hearted and humble?
And when it seems that I am being walked over, or when it looks like the proud and arrogant are winning, how will the story end?

Following Jesus involved self-denial and sacrifice, not for its own sake but for God’s sake and for the good of those around us.
We do not choose humility because it will get us into heaven (Jesus has already secured our eternal blessing), but because we love those that we are serving.
We take the lesser place so that those that we serve will be blessed, inspired, changed, impacted.
Through Jesus’ humble sacrifice, we were helped; through our humble sacrifice, others can be helped.
This is what it means to take up our cross: to join with Jesus in suffering for the sake of others, that they too can find their way back to God.

So what position will we take?
How will our stories end?

PRAYER:
Lord, show me how to not just think about humility and serving others; help me to live this out today, to humbly serve and bless the people I meet today – that they may be blessed and drawn to You!