The Most Important Seat
David R. Ferguson

I heard a story told of a young American student who was visiting the Beethoven Museum in Bonn, Germany. While being conducted through the tour of the museum, this young lady student became fascinated upon seeing Beethoven's piano that was on display there. It was the thrill of a lifetime for her to picture the great Beethoven himself as he composed some of his greatest works on that very piano!

The student asked the museum guard if she might play a few notes on it. To help in her persuasion of the guard, she also surreptitiously slipped him a wad of marks to help entice him to let her play. The guard agreed and the girl went slowly up to the piano and performed the opening of the Moonlight Sonata. As she was leaving she said to the guard, "I suppose all the great pianists who come here want to play on that piano."

However, the guard shook his head and said, "No, they do not. Paderewski, the famous Polish pianist, was here a few years ago, and he said he wasn't worthy to touch it." Upon hearing this, the young lady's face blushed crimson, as she was abashed in her embarrassment.

This young lady learned a lesson of humility the hard way. Upon hearing this story, I could not help but be reminded of a lesson taught by our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, when He said in Luke 14:8-11, "When a person invites you to a wedding, don't sit in the most important seat. He may have invited someone more important than you. If you do sit in the most important seat, then the one who invited you may come to you and say, `Give this man your seat!' Then you will start to move down to the last place. And you will be very embarrassed. Instead, when a person invites you, go sit in the seat which is least important. The one who invited you will come to you and say, `Friend, move up here to a more important seat!' Then all of the other guests will respect you. Every person who acts as if he is important will be made ashamed, but every person who truly humbles himself will be made important."

Jesus, you recall, taught this lesson of humility upon seeing how the Pharisees and teachers of the law were all vying for the best seat in the house of a fellow Pharisee who had invited Jesus to share a meal with him.

James, the Lord's brother, wrote in James 4:10, "Be humble before the Lord and He will lift you up." So the next time you begin to think how blessed God has to have you working for Him, remember the words of His Son, the greatest example of meekness and humility Who was exalted to the highest position where He now sits at the right hand of God (Romans 8:34): "Take the job I give you. Learn from Me because I am gentle and humble in heart. You will find rest for your lives." (Matthew 11:29)

May the Lord bless you!