Who is firts

Luke 14:1,7-11          Who is first

          On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honour, he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honour, in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honoured in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’

         You are a joy to behold, the love of my life.  You are a precious gift from God to a world in need of your love.

         My husband ? Yes. And you. And me. And George and all of creation. Do we have a will , a desire to put ourselves above everyone else? Our gifts are all different. We have our own soul mate, gifted to us by God. We are treasured by God down to each numbered hair on our head. Should we wish to place ourselves above everyone else? Above all other creations? 

        Our recognition that we are a gift from God, that we are so incredibly loved by God should not mean that we place ourselves ahead of any other of God's precious creations. If we revel in anything, revel in His love and the love he grants us, gifts us. But never believe it is better than any one else's love, or less than someone else's love.

          In a post Sandy world, we are reminded of the preciousness of life, how wonderful it is and how important it is to appreciate every single little item that is part of or life.  Could we take a few minutes a day to meditate on what our gifts are? Ourselves for sure but everything else as well. Do we have lose so much to appreciate it all?