The Secret to Being Lifted Up (Proverbs 25:6-7)
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Proverbs 25:6-7
Do not put yourself forward in the king's presence
or stand in the place of the great,
7 for it is better to be told, “Come up here,”
than to be put lower in the presence of a noble.
These verses are the Shaq to Proverbs 27:2’s Kobe. The jelly to its peanut butter. We should always, always, always avoid self-exaltation.
Yesterday we talked about letting others praise you – not praising yourself. Today, it’s more of the same flavor: Don’t promote yourself, don’t grab the spotlight. Let others lift you up.
And look – I’ll be the first to admit this one hits close to home. I’m ambitious. I want to do great things – I’d love to be in the king's presence, to be in esteemed positions – and maybe you do too. That drive isn’t bad, until it starts pushing us to reach for recognition before God or others give it.
Jesus told a story just like this in Luke 14. He said when you're invited to a wedding feast, don’t take the seat of honor – take the lowest one. Why? So the host can say, “Friend, move up higher.” And Jesus ends with this in verse 11: “Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
There’s that upside-down Kingdom logic again:
The way up is down. The path to honor is humility.
And here’s the good news in all of this: You don’t have to climb ladders or chase spotlights. You don’t have to hustle for a seat at the table. Jesus already gave you one.
Because of the cross, you are already loved, already accepted, already seen.
You can take the low place with confidence – because the One who took the lowest place for you now calls you His own. And when He lifts you up, it’s not for applause... it’s for His glory and your good.
So let’s ask ourselves this morning:
Where do you feel tempted to push your way forward right now?
Are there areas where you're trying to prove your worth instead of resting in God's timing?
What would it look like today to choose the low place – to serve quietly, to wait faithfully?
Let’s pray for these things today.
