Scripture Scribbles: August 31, 2025
the Gospel
Luke 14:1, 7-14
On a sabbath Jesus went to dine
at the home of one of the leading Pharisees,
and the people there were observing him carefully.
He told a parable to those who had been invited,
noticing how they were choosing the places of honor at the table.
"When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet,
do not recline at table in the place of honor.
A more distinguished guest than you may have been invited by him,
and the host who invited both of you may approach you and say,
'Give your place to this man,'
and then you would proceed with embarrassment
to take the lowest place.
Rather, when you are invited,
go and take the lowest place
so that when the host comes to you he may say,
'My friend, move up to a higher position.'
Then you will enjoy the esteem of your companions at the table.
For every one who exalts himself will be humbled,
but the one who humbles himself will be exalted."
Then he said to the host who invited him,
"When you hold a lunch or a dinner,
do not invite your friends or your brothers
or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors,
in case they may invite you back and you have repayment.
Rather, when you hold a banquet,
invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind;
blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.
For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
the scribble
How do you stay grounded? How important is it to be humble in the eyes of God?
Humility is not too hard to do. It is even free because we don’t have to pay a thing in order to do it. However, because of pride, humility sometimes becomes just an illusion. The desire to be the first, to be on top on things, to be the greatest or the best, keep us from choosing modesty over conceit.
The gospel today teaches how to treat our poor brothers and sisters. God wants us to be generous without expecting for anything in return. Just plain giving. The gospel is also a very good reminder of how we should manifest humility in our everyday lives.
I hope that somehow, these four words will guide us on how to stay humble.
Detachment.
When we set aside every bit of title or accomplishment we earned for ourselves, we can keep a low profile.
Do we ever look at ourselves properly in the mirror upon waking up in the morning? That’s the real us, devoid of everything. No pretentions, no audience, nothing. Just God and us. Isn’t this one of the best moments to realize that without Him, we are nothing and we have nothing to brag about.
Vulnerability.
By thinking about our own weaknesses, we can be more compassionate and less judgmental.
Sure, we are probably excellent at many things. However, we are not perfect. There is always a thing or two (or more) that we consider our waterloo. Hence, before we start wondering why others process a piece of information very slowly or why our friend’s marriage failed, let’s take a look at our own backyard. It isn’t that neat, either. If we reflect at our own vulnerabilities, we’ll be surprised at how fast we can sympathize with others.
Redirection.
Ever tried looking more at the giver rather than the gifts(or the recipients)?
We can always remind ourselves that everything we have can be taken away in an instant, but God will never abandon us. With this mindset, we can maintain an unassuming attitude. Steering to the direction that leads to the Father simply takes away self-centeredness. We stop feeling entitled. Instead, we feel labeled: as God’s children.
Gratitude.
I believe that this should be our most important way of life in order for us to stay humble.
As humans, we need affirmations from time to time. Therefore, we can take compliments, especially if we know that we deserve them. We say thanks with a smile and then move on. More than this, thankfulness to and acknowledgment of the divine being as the source of all that we have and all that we are, will help us to stay grounded. Sincere appreciation for the gifts that we were bestowed can make us want to share what we received rather than using them for our own selfish motives. If we still can’t, please refer to number 1 again. Detachment. Remember?
I pray that these words resonate with us and stay embedded in our beings, today and always.
May the Holy Spirit guide us continuously as we strive to live a life of humility.
Today’s devotion was written by Edwina Yu
