“Do not sit down in the place of honour.”

About 25 years ago my Godfather, who is also a priest, got married. Neither he nor his bride were in the first flush of youth. In fact the bishop presiding at his marriage described John and Ann as ‘ripe fruits’ echoing the Prayer Book’s phrase ‘those of riper years’. Ann was a clergy widow with three children and John was single.

When William and I arrived at the church we sat near the back leaving the forward pews for family and other friends. John, however, was having none of it and he led us up to the front pew saying; “You’re my family”. It was a humbling and touching experience and a memory that I treasure. I also remember that even as it happened I could hear today’s Gospel reading in my head and I came to understand that reading more fully than I had done so previously.

I suspect that similar things may have happened to you. If it has, you will know what a privilege it is to be treated with such respect by your host.

In Jesus’ time and to be truthful well into the 20th century and even the 21st century, where one sits or is seated at a formal occasion can have great significance, as it can show your place in the social order. In the past those who were anyone sat above the salt and thus closer to the host. The hangers on, sat below the salt. Both sides always sat in ascending order, with the greatest at the top of the table and the meanest at the lowest point. So to be led up the table by the host was pretty significant and it could actually change your place in the social order and ultimately your lifestyle and your fortune. So for anyone who presumed to sit in a place of honour not given to them ran the risk of public humiliation and disgrace by being asked to move to a lower position. An act that could actually ruin their life.

What Jesus is telling us this morning, is that one should never seek recognition but that one

should wait be recognised for who one is and then to graciously and modestly accept the invitation of the host, who may choose to move you up the social scale. Being raised up is not a cause for pride or smugness - it should be quite the reverse.

Today’s readings tell us:

“Don’t believe your own legend. Don’t think too much of yourself or your position because others may not perceive you to be or deem you worthy of the respect that you think you deserve.”

I am not saying that we are not to have self- respect but that we should never be ‘big- headed’ about ourselves. We all know what we tend to think of those who are!

Why does God want us to be aware of this? The last verse of the piece from Hebrews, I think, gives us the answer:

“16 Do not neglect to do good and to share what you have, for such sacrifices are pleasing to God.”

Hebrews 13:16

God does not want us to think we are too important as it might stop us reaching out to others around us, who we perceive as being less important than we are. God wants to care for our sisters and brothers regardless of their station life or ours. God wants us to be aware of the needs of others and to help all in need, sharing what we have with those who have not. God encourages us to share our resources and not to hoard them for our own use alone - remember the rich man and the full barns, who died when he thought his future was secure.

Being called to share things might mean that sometimes we may need to go without something but it is more than likely that we did not need it anyway. God likes a sacrificial giver, because when we give sacrificially we really notice what we are doing and we will really want to give our gift to enable the receiver to benefit from it. When you give

sacrificially, how often do you discover that you unexpectedly get much more back in return?

God always seems to bless us when we are generous. For we have a sacrificial and generous God. A God who knows how to give as he did of himself in his Son. God’s sacrifice needs our continual thanks and praise for in his giving we gained our salvation. In the death and resurrection of Jesus, God raised all of us above the salt and in doing so shows us all how important we are to him.