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There is a difference between people greedy for power to satisfy their ego and those who aspire to lead in order to help others; between those who affirm their worth as people made in the image of God and those who despise themselves because others demonize them. Jesus is our best model. He did not regard equality with God to be prized, but emptied Himself and became human, even a slave, and volunteered to die on a shameful cross. He once used a parable to show what our attitudes and actions ought to look like. Luke 14 records that at a dinner He noticed how all guests were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, so He gave them this advice: “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor. What if someone who is more distinguished than you has also been invited? The host will come and say, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then you will be embarrassed and you will have to take whatever seat is left at the foot of the table! Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests.” What Jesus said next should be our guide: “Those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”
