The Lowest Place

"Go and sit at the lowest place..." Luke 14:10

If Luigi reads this, he will know I'm preaching to myself! Jesus in this verse is teaching the Pharisees and other guests at a Sabbath meal that they should be humble, and not try to exalt themselves and look for places of honor to park themselves. In the Bible, God promises a lot to those who are humble, and it is a very valuable lesson. If we learn to be humble, there will be less conflict in the world. Most of the clashes I've got myself in had pride at the very root of it. 

Humility is not thinking less of myself, but thinking of myself less. It is valuing, loving others more than myself. That's really radical, because the world will tell us that we have to love ourselves more than others. I think humility is really a stepping stone to loving others. We don't become wrapped up in our own little world feeling entitled because what I am doing is more important than what others are doing. We look for ways to build other people up, instead of ways to put ourselves front and center. We pay attention to other people and what they need instead of looking at our phones, or listening to music, not wanting to be bothered. We are not afraid to serve and help others and do menial things because we do not think we are above others. 

 

I still remember when SM Mall of Asia opened. There was a big celebration, lots of people, lots of food and drink. After all, it was touted as the largest mall in Asia. I saw Harley Sy, one of the owners, bend down and wipe some spilled water on the floor of Surplus Shop, one of their flagship stores. If it was me, I would have called someone to do it. 

 

Ric Warren tells of a time he and the CEO of Chik-fil-A were at a competitor's toilet and the CEO got a paper towel and wiped the sink clean. "Why did you do that?" Ric Warren asked. The CEO answered that they train their people to always leave a place better than how they found it. I guess that's a good thing to remember. To always leave not only a place, but a person, better than how we find him or her. If we paid attention to people more, what they need, how they are feeling, we will be able to show them that they are important, no matter who they are! Whether they be a Senator, a garbage collector, a telemarketer (my pet peeve!), a begging child, a drug addict, a prisoner, a CEO...each one matters!