Timing For Everything II

Sunday, August 21, 2022

6-7 Don’t work yourself into the spotlight;

    don’t push your way into the place of prominence.

It’s better to be promoted to a position of honor

    than face humiliation by being demoted.

8 Don’t jump to conclusions—there may be

    an excellent explanation for what you just saw.

9-10 In the heat of an argument,

    don’t betray confidences;

Word is sure to get around,

    and no one will trust you.

-Proverbs 2:6-10 The Message

6 Do not put yourself forward in the king’s presence

    or stand in the place of the great,

7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”

    then to be put lower in the presence of a noble.

What your eyes have seen

8 do not hastily bring into court,

for what will you do in the end,

    when your neighbor puts you to shame?

9 Argue your case with your neighbor himself,

    and do not reveal another’s secret,

10 lest he who hears you humiliate you,

    and your ill repute has no end.

-Proverbs 25:6-10 ESV

Verses 6-7 studies: Wisdom of the royal court observes unspoken protocol. The royal court does not approve of conceit, self-seeking people that overreach themselves and leads to humiliation. It’s best to start out with humility and then be exalted. Jesus adapted this instruction to speak of our place in the kingdom of God.

The Parable of the Wedding Feast

7 Now he 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.” -Luke 14:7-11 ESV

Another way of saying this in the short term is to start with a humble place and be invited higher.

The parable Jesus made is saying don’t honor yourself. Do it quietly and faithfully, showing the accomplishments of the work god has given us to do. Others will notice the quality of our lives and then draw attention to us.

Verse 8 study:  Be careful about speech that reflects others. It’s the principle of being respectful and gathering facts beforehand.

Verse 9 study: Revealing others’ secrets is betrayal. Do not involve yourself in other disputes.

Verse 10 study: When you betray confidences with others, you lead to a disloyalty reputation.