At first I didn't notice it. I was invited to sit in front often. Then one time there were seats behind us but all the "Important" sat on both sides of me in the pew until we were all squeezed - uncomfortable. The Lord said to me...Get Up...MOVE.
I did.
I have never again presumptuously sat in the front row. I'll leave that to the Important.
Jesus spoke of this:
Luke 14
7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
He was rehearsing something He knew from Proverbs:
Proverbs 25:6-7 Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence, and do not claim a place among great men; 7 it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here," than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.
I know many people have self image problems but we MUST get over our bad self. So if I come to your church I'll be sitting close enough to hear, but not in the front row.
I would love to see the front row reserved for the lost and broken...They are the REAL important folks.
5 comments:
I remember one church we were in the Sr Pastor or whoever was preaching were usually the only ones in the front row. When the ushers brought someone new in, they usually brought them down to him, if he wasn't first running down the aisle to greet them (and give then a hug). That was the last time I served with someone in charge who actually got it.
I remember too the idea for the leaders being in front was so other people could see them worshiping so they wouldn't be inhibited at all to worship in wild abandon. Sometimes people just need to see it's ok to be "free". Maybe that's why too so many sit way in the back. Ever been to a church where you constantly had to ask people to sit closer to the front?
I say start something new. Every single week you go to worship, if you call yourself a true Christ follower, sit somewhere different and make sure it's next to someone you've never sat next to before, especially if they're someone you've never seen. Maybe make the extra effort to make it a point to make someone welcome too. Ok, is that being "the church"?
What's even funnier is when they put "RESERVED" in big white letters on the front row chairs. I guess that's their idea of Luke 14: don't sit in their place of honor, or you might get humiliated. LOL
In my experience, the front row is usually empty... I might sit there just to break the ice so people aren't freaked out to be the only one in the front row. But that usually doesn't work... ;)
alot of stuff happens in the back of the church...unseen...lol...when i was younger the spirit use to move all the times back there...this one elderly pentecostal lady always sat right behind me and prophesied loudly..it was the front seat of action for me..pastor was always looking back there at us...something was moving and it wasnt up there where the chosen appointed elders were...at least back then
If we live where we are already seated, with Christ far above all principalities in His Throne Room, we don't care where we phyically sit. In fact, I have found that over-occupation with where I sit, messes up my spirit!
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