#DailyDevotion It’s Better To Be Told To Come Up Here
Prov. 25:6-7 6Don’t glorify yourself before a king or stand in the place that belongs to the nobles. 7It is better to be told, “Come up here,” than to be put down in front of a prince whom your eyes have seen.
Not something you hear very often these days. I grew up hearing, “If you don’t put yourself forward, no one else will.” Sometimes it is phrased, “If you don’t talk about the great work you are doing to your superiors, no one else will.” I don’t know. There may be some truth to that. At work maybe you should take credit for what you do. Certainly, no one else should take credit for your work. I suppose, when asked, it is probably a good thing, at that time, to speak clearly, without exaggeration, this is what I have done.
But few people like a braggart. Perhaps that is what this is getting at to some extent. Don’t glorify yourself before a king or stand in a place that belongs to the nobles. This section of Proverbs is a collection of saying King Hezekiah’s men put together. It was intended for the people where as the first section was for the youth. So I can see how those reading it would not necessarily being among the nobles. Solomon then is instructing his people how to behave at court if they should happen to find themselves there.
So if you perhaps find yourself among men of great note, in our context, say perhaps, millionaires and billionaires, or politicians, perhaps this might help you out with your behavior. If you have done something noteworthy, do not brag about it before such people. Don’t be like, “Look at me, look at me!” Instead, conduct yourself humbly among them. If do get uppity, those who are in charge may indeed take note of you and tell you to move to a lower table because someone more important than you has arrived. Then you would be humbled before everyone—and no doubt tongues would be wagging about that. Let your work precede you and speak for itself. If you are really worthy of being noticed, those in charge will want to know who did it and they will praise you for your work. Then you will truly be honored by all.
Now spiritually, what are you going to do when you are stand before the King, the LORD Jesus Christ and the Father? Are you going to brag about all the good works you do and how much God owes you? In Luke 17 Jesus tells us we should say, “We are unworthy servants. We have only done our duty.” There is nothing we can do before God and say, “Look at me!” Anything good we do we’re commanded to do anyway. You cannot do more good than God commands. What gets the LORD’s attention? Those who do not think more of themselves than they should. Those who do not compare themselves to others. When we humble ourselves and put others first and give greater honor to others than ourselves. Those who seek to humbly serve those they see in need. What gets our God’s attention is when we follow Jesus and are humble like him. It is Jesus’ humility that saved us and made us God’s children.
If we humble ourselves, the LORD will exalt us at the proper time. We most certainly should not boast before him. It will be far better for us, if we humble ourselves and the LORD praise us before the assembly of the righteous, which He most certainly has promised to do.
Heavenly Father, may your promise of exaltation at the right time give us courage to be humble and to serve others instead of ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.