Simply Yourself

Reading:  Luke 14:7-14

7 He went on to tell a story to the guests around the table. Noticing how each had tried to elbow into the place of honor, he said, 8 “When someone invites you to dinner, don’t take the place of honor. Somebody more important than you might have been invited by the host. 9 Then he’ll come and call out in front of everybody, ‘You’re in the wrong place. The place of honor belongs to this man.’ Red-faced, you’ll have to make your way to the very last table, the only place left. 10 “When you’re invited to dinner, go and sit at the last place. Then when the host comes he may very well say, ‘Friend, come up to the front.’ That will give the dinner guests something to talk about! 11 What I’m saying is, If you walk around with your nose in the air, you’re going to end up flat on your face. But if you’re content to be simply yourself, you will become more than yourself.” 12 Then he turned to the host. “The next time you put on a dinner, don’t just invite your friends and family and rich neighbors, the kind of people who will return the favor. 13 Invite some people who never get invited out, the misfits from the wrong side of the tracks. 14 You’ll be—and experience—a blessing. They won’t be able to return the favor, but the favor will be returned—oh, how it will be returned!—at the resurrection of God’s people.” (Luke 14:7-14 MSG)

Life gets so complicated when you’re trying to impress others—when you’re trying to be something you’re not! And the worst part is, you can’t keep it up 24/7, so eventually others figure you out, the mask slips, and you fall flat on your face!

I want to keep it simple. I don’t have the motivation, or the energy, to try to figure out how to climb the ladder, or try to get the best seat at the head table, or to impress people with how cool I am (I’m not!). So today I embrace Jesus’ good advice – “Be simply yourself and that way you’ll become more than yourself.”

Here’s a simple mantra for a “Simply Yourself” person:

Nothing to gain, Nothing to lose. Nothing to hide, Nothing to prove! – Jim Stephens

Prayer:

Father, Thanks for today’s sweet reminder from the stories of Jesus. By your grace, I will be “simply myself.” I will be my simple self! I give you my full cooperation to make me who and what you want me to be and to put me in just the place where you want me to live and serve. Help me to become myself. Amen and amen!

Now, with God’s help, I shall become myself. – Soren Kierkegaard