One of the most commonly enjoyed activities is sharing a meal with others. It’s especially enjoyable in the privacy of a home with people we love. From the Gospel accounts, it’s obvious that Jesus enjoyed eating with people, too.

Religious leaders often invited Jesus to meals. Because of their insincere motives in inviting Him, Jesus usually turned out to be somewhat of an unwelcome guest. He usually ended up teaching profound spiritual lessons and correcting His host and fellow guests. How do you feel when someone you invite to dinner begins to point out things you do wrong?

Loving as He is, there is one thing about Jesus — He will call you out when you are hypocritical, proud, or have wrong motives. How we receive His correction says a lot about the sincerity of our love for Him, and how seriously we take His lordship over us.

Some people “say grace” before a meal. But so often what ensues afterward is anything but gracious. There often is complaining, gossip, slander, insults, boasting, secret judging and ingratitude. What do you think Jesus might say if He physically attended one of your mealtimes? I said “physically” because Jesus always is literally present in the Spirit.

Luke records the highlights of a Pharisees’ Sabbath dinner party Jesus attended. After a bold and profound lesson on mercy and the fallacy of hyper-religiosity, Jesus teaches on pride, humility and grace.

“When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table,” Jesus taught on pride and humility through a parable about taking the best seats. The lesson is not limited to seats at meals, but is universal. Pride always puts “self” first. It seeks the best and likes to be considered important. Pride loves compliments and recognition in any situation it can get it. Pride likes to be first in line, first to be served and first to leave. Pride doesn’t like to be inconvenienced and hates to wait. But why do we think we deserve the best, the breaks and the blessings over others? Pride wants to be first because it thinks it is first. Pride is not gracious.

The humble consider others better than themselves and look out for the interests of others. The humble joyfully makes sacrifices for the benefit of others without feeling slighted in the least. They gladly serve and put others first without recognition, because they are not looking for the praise of men. They sincerely love others as they love themselves. They are gracious.

Next, Jesus confronts His host’s less than gracious motives in his choice of dinner guests.


Again, the lesson is not limited to meals, but is universal.

Jesus was not forbidding sharing a meal with or lending a hand to friends or family. One of His points was for us not to consider something we are repaid for to be a gift or some grand gesture. Swapping gifts or favors cannot even rightly be called gifts or favors.

Jesus’ main point concerns grace. According to Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, grace is “favor or kindness shown without regard to the worth or merit of the one who receives it, and despite what that person deserves.”

It is only true generosity and true grace when you are not paid back.

This lesson also deals with pride. Those who think highly of themselves and lowly of others are unwilling to associate with those they consider “beneath” them, let alone serve or befriend them. This prejudice causes cliques, classes and other exclusive groupings. It fosters judging, hate and wars.


So, how about you? Do you only associate with certain people? Do you only serve and give to those you deem worthy or end up paying you back?

Jacky Duncan is the pastor of the The Church at Canoe Creek. Worship is at 10:30 a.m. Sundays at 5038 Rainbow Drive, Rainbow City. E-mail tc3shepherd@bellsouth.net or call 256-570-0465.