I remember that i had once read a story about a fourth grade class in which the teacher introduced a game called "balloon stomp." A balloon was tied to every child's leg, and the object of the game was to pop everyone else's balloon while protecting one's own. The last person with an intact balloon would win.
The fourth graders in this story entered into the spirit of the game with vigor. Balloons were relentlessly targeted and destroyed. A few of the children clung to the sidelines like wallflowers at a middle school dance, but their balloons were doomed just the same. The entire battle was over in a matter of seconds, leaving only one balloon inflated. Its owner was, of course, the most disliked kid in the class. It's hard to really win at a game like balloon stomp. In order to complete your mission, you have to be pushy, rude and offensive.
A second class was introduced to the same game. Only this time it was a class of mentally handicapped children. They were given the same explanation as the first class, and the signal to begin was given. But the game proceeded very differently. Perhaps the instructions were given too quickly for children with learning disabilities to grasp them. The one idea that got through was that the balloons were supposed to be popped. So it was the balloons, not the other players, that were viewed as enemies. Instead of fighting each other, they began helping each other pop balloons. One little girl knelt down and held her balloon carefully in place, like a holder for a field goal kicker. A little boy stomped it flat. Then he knelt down and held his balloon for her. It went on like this for several minutes until all the balloons were vanquished, and everybody cheered. Everybody won.
Who got the game right, and who got the game wrong? In our world, we tend to think of another person's success as one less opportunity for us to succeed. There can only be one winner in most people's minds, and life is just one big game. If we ever find ourselves in that position, we will fight like madmen to stay in the lead. Many people fail to enjoy prolonged success because they have this "balloon stomp" mentality. In the church, the rules change. Jesus Christ gets top billing. We're just here to serve his purposes, and we do that most effectively by elevating others and humbling ourselves.
But eventually being selfish and egotistical will catch up to us , ending up costing us much more than we won living that life. And i will admit, i am usually one of the first to think of myself being better than someone else. But what this will cost me is heaven. Eternal life with our savior. To overcome this, we must learn to be humble.
The parable of the lowest seat is found in Luke 14:7-11.
Now Jesus told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them,
8 "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,
9 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.
10 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.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
We don't realize how often we tend to take the seat of honor in our lives. We don't realize by gloating about our grades or new car, or making fun of someone less fortunate than ourselves whether it be by pointing out their weight or how making jokes about peculiar they might be, we take the seat of honor that we definitely don't deserve. And even though, as Christians we believe that saying "bless-their-hearts" makes it okay to point out others insecurities, it doesn't.
Philippians 2:3-4 says
3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
We all know our imperfections, what makes you think that the person you are laughing about doesn't know theirs? We must look towards the interests of others and count them more significant than ourselves.
Secondly, As Christians we must not think of ourselves as higher than anyone else in this world. We all can cite John 3:16.. "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." .. But many times we only think about this verse when we are painting banners for football games or putting a verse on a tshirt.
For God so loved the world. It doesn't say God loved faithful Christians and only kinda sorta liked the Luke warm Christians, and that he hated all prostitutes, drunkards and thieves. God so loved the world, that he sent his son, to die on the cross for each and everyone of us. We were all purchased at the same price, one no more than another. We need to start living as equals, and bring glory to he kingdom of God.
So to become humble we must first give up the seat of honor. Secondly we must not get a "holier than thou" attitude, we must. And lastly we must learn from the ultimate example. Christ.
We all know of the story told in Matthew 9 about Jesus reclined at his table with tax collectors sitting and eating with him. When the Pharisees heard of this, they immediately asked why the Son of God was dining with sinners. Jesus said to them "For I came not to call the righteous, but the sinners."
What we can learn from this, is that even the man without sin will think of others more significant than himself even though he was perfect.
Philippians 2:5-8 says
5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Christ came to this earth, not only to save us from sin, but to set an example for how we must live. He shows us to be selfless rather than being selfish, and most importantly to be humble. Jesus Christ deserved the seat of honor, yet he let that seat be given to someone else, for he knew one day he will be exalted. My challenge for you is that next time that seat of honor is available, instead of taking it, pass it up counting someone else more significant than yourself.
I would like to leave you with this. For the past 8 years of my life I've attended Quartz Mountain Christian camp. For the last 8 years, every night at camp, before we dismissed for bed we would sing this song whose title is God Bless You, Go With God. These are some of the lyrics:
This is my daily prayer, God Bless you, go with God. Hold fast his mighty hand throughout the day. His grace your heart sustains, his power relieves your pain. Your prayer be not in vain, as you travel his way.
We must love the people around us. Like in this hymn we must pray that others will stay with God. When we put others above us, not only physically, but when we are praying to God, we will truly become humble.
