Enjoying Favor with God and Man
“When he went into the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees on a Sabbath to eat bread, they were watching him. Behold, a certain man who had dropsy was in front of him. Jesus, answering, spoke to the lawyers and Pharisees, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” But they were silent. He took him, and healed him, and let him go. He answered them, “Which of you, if your son or an ox fell into a well, wouldn’t immediately pull him out on a Sabbath day?” They couldn’t answer him regarding these things. He spoke a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the best seats, and said to them, “When you are invited by anyone to a marriage feast, don’t sit in the best seat, since perhaps someone more honorable than you might be invited by him, and he who invited both of you would come and tell you, ‘Make room for this person.’ Then you would begin, with shame, to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when he who invited you comes, he may tell you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.”” (Luke 14:1-11 WEB)
Have you ever had dinner at the same table with a renowned world leader? Perhaps you’ll make sure to dress your best, put on your best mannerisms, show your best side and all these efforts are just to please men to gain their favor for an ulterior motive, or because you’re afraid of what they would think if you don’t behave as expected.
It’s just like our Lord Jesus to attend a party held by a so-called important person and turn it upside down!
Amidst all the bootlickers who wanted to curry favor with the ruler of the Pharisees, Jesus didn’t care about anyone’s prejudices.
He set His sights on someone He could heal—Jesus was going to do it whether the pretentious religious leaders felt comfortable about it or not.
Jesus didn’t come to play politics or to be liked by the masses. He came to save us to the uttermost, regardless of what has to be done.
If Jesus had a PR manager, that person would greatly advise against healing someone on the Sabbath, in the house of the ruler of the Pharisees. That’s like choosing to offend everyone at once—a major PR disaster.
None of the guests dared to answer Jesus—they were all ensnared by the fear of man’s opinions.
“The fear of man proves to be a snare, but whoever puts his trust in Yahweh is kept safe. Many seek the ruler’s favor, but a man’s justice comes from Yahweh.” (Proverbs 29:25-26 WEB)
Oftentimes, we are also afraid of being judged by others and worried what others would think of us.
However when it comes to doing the right thing in God’s eyes, versus pleasing men who don’t care about you that much anyway, we can rely on the Holy Spirit to empower us to do what’s right, even when it’s not the popular choice.
Just because everyone else is compromising, doesn’t mean you have to do it too just to fit in.
Let’s use a rather sensitive example: Premarital sex. If you’re still a virgin and you’re intending to stay that way until after marriage, good for you!
You don’t have to be sleeping around like people of the world, just because the ‘cool’ ones are doing it—they have no self-control and are ignorant about the harm they are inflicting upon their own bodies (forming unwanted connections in the flesh).
“Don’t you know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! Or don’t you know that he who is joined to a prostitute is one body? For, “The two”, he says, “will become one flesh.” But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit. Flee sexual immorality! “Every sin that a man does is outside the body,” but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.” (1 Corinthians 6:15-18 WEB)
Perhaps you are like the man with dropsy, who couldn’t even join in the pretentious game with the other religious leaders.
Even if he could gain the favor of the ruler of the Pharisees, what could he possibly do for him?
That mortal ruler didn’t have the power to rid him of the swelling in his body.
The man’s swollen body must have caused him to be embarrassed and ashamed. No matter how hard he tried to fit in and act like the rest, he would always stick out like a sore thumb.
Maybe you’re a straightforward person who can’t stand to think before you talk or be tactful when you speak or act—you just don’t fit in.
Or it could be that you’re a non-conformist who can’t bring yourself to follow the crowd and it’s trends—and for that, nobody wants to be associated with you.
Well, Jesus healed that man with dropsy. If anyone was happy at that awkward party, it was the man who received his healing!
You don’t even have to read any books about the 10 steps to make people like you.
Just like how Jesus took the man and initiated the healing miracle, He will also take you and transform you without your own efforts.
The man with dropsy thought he was going for a party to try and gain favor from the ruler, when actually the true Ruler of Heaven and earth chose to favor him.
It’s by God’s goodness, not your obedience—just believe that.
Jesus pulled the religious masks off the religious leaders’ faces when He asked the question about the son and the ox falling into the well.
If it was the ruler of the Pharisee’s son that fell in a well, do you really think he would care that it was a Sabbath day?
He would ask his servants to get his son out of the well immediately.
Religiosity is hypocrisy. It has the outward appearance of holiness but the moment something is against his fleshly interests, the religious person compromises on the laws he demands others to follow.
Jesus proceeded to give wise advice. Instead of trying to please men and gain their favor with your self-efforts, rely on God to give you favor with them.
The moment you cease from trying to be liked, fit in or become popular and just rest in God’s favor that’s always upon you, God can give you uncommon favor with the right person who can turn the whole situation around for your good.
That’s one of the ironies of life. The harder you try to be liked, the more dislikable you are to others.
But when you don’t try at all and just humbly rely on God’s favor, He will exalt you in the sight of all.
In other words, don’t focus on moving up to a higher place—you’ll end up thinking too much about it and trying hard to reach it by your own efforts.
Set your eyes on Jesus who is seated far above all kingdoms and dominions, and He will give you the wisdom, power and favor to unconsciously move up higher while you’re still transfixed by His perfect majesty!
Today’s Spiritual Exercise:
Need someone to favor you? Confess that you have favor with him or her because God is on your side to give you favor with all men. You don’t have to earn it—just receive it by faith.
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In this series, you’ll:
- Receive bold faith for miracles—stepping out from a powerless form of Christianity, into the kind that God intended!
- Understand the significance of the miracles of Jesus Christ—and why the Holy Spirit chose to feature them in the four gospels even though Jesus worked countless other miracles.
- Receive a powerful, uplifting message about Jesus and His power and goodness every day that refreshes your soul and prepares you to have a worshipful, meaningful Christmas.
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