Jesus cautions us not to presume that we are better than others. He exhorts us to choose a lower place.

This is more than a commentary on social etiquette. Jesus is inviting us to do a difficult thing - humbly place ourselves in God's hands. Humility is essentially an acceptance of the truth that any gift I have does not come fundamentally from my own efforts, but rather, from God. If I truly trust in this, I will not try to exalt myself. I will use my gifts and then trust that, if God so chooses, God will exalt me. Honour comes as God's generous gift.

Today we hear that Paul is torn. On one hand he has a desire to die because death will unite him with Christ. On the other hand, he knows that if he stays on earth, Christ will work through him to bless others.

In the end, Paul decides to trust deeply in Christ. He believes that if he trusts in Christ he will not be put to shame. Accordingly, he decides to remain on earth to continue to proclaim Christ and help others progress in their faith.

As I consider my life, am I tempted to exalt myself in some way?

What would it be like to place this situation in God's hands?