The Blessed Table: Lessons in Humility from a Football Officials Banquet

This past Saturday, my wife and I attended the Piedmont Valley Football Officials Association End-of-Year Banquet and Meeting at Michie’s Tavern in Charlottesville, VA.

Having finished my first season as a football official (or referee), there could be plenty of stories about people I met, things I experienced, and calls I missed. Instead, I want to focus on a question I received at the dinner.

“Hey, Kris, we were thinking. Since you’re a pastor, would you do the prayer before we eat?”

I thought he was going to grill me about being arriving late. Instead, he and our treasurer cracked jokes about how God would probably hear my prayer better than theirs.

I obliged. After praying, the head server told me and my table that we could eat first!

One my fellow officials said, “You know, we are the blessed table!”

I prayed. We ate FIRST! I love this kind of perk.

I do this to my students in our church too. I ask if anyone wants to pray, and while the crickets are chirping, I quietly scan the room.

Finally, one student reluctantly blesses the food only to be met with me saying, “Now you may go first.”

You’d think they would catch on by now…

Anyhow, my experience at the dinner reminded me of how we often want something in return for our obedience and cooperation.

I couldn’t help but think how different Jesus operates.

In Philippians chapter 2, verses 6-8, Jesus is described this way:

“Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man,  he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!”

These verses are found in the section known as “Christ’s Humility”. Paul is using this passage to instruct the Christians in Philippi on how to live in relationship with one another. It is not about being the best, the biggest, or the strongest. It is about loving one another and being humble.

Even though Jesus was awarded for his obedience, He did this because He loves us and wants to obey the Father. He humbled Himself so that we might be glorified through Him.

This Christmas season, it is easy to get caught up in the presents, the lights, and craziness of it all, but it is also a reminder of Christ’s love and humility.

A reminder of His willingness to sacrifice His greatness and His power so that we might be free from our sin.

So next time you get ready to do something thinking, “oh, I’ll get to do ____ because of this” think of that baby in a manager. About God not grasping His greatness for His own advantage, but rather “what a powerful example of humility!”

Now go and do likewise.

Anyway, I was just thinking…