The Best Seats in the House

"Woe to you Pharisees! For you love the best seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces" ~Luke 11:43 When you go see a movie or a play doesn't it bug you when someone taller sits in front of you? It hampers my experience because I can't see what's going on, not to mention I paid good money for admission. But what about at church? When your "experience" isn't optimal do you wish you could get your time back? In Luke, Jesus is reproaching the Pharisees for seeking glory in public. These "spiritual" leaders are actually spiritual deceivers. Instead of ensuring the congregation's needs are met before their own, they look after themselves first. Wanting to have the best seat in the house at a movie isn't wrong, but we should never equate our experiences at a show with our experiences at church. Our sole purpose at church is to glorify God. If our focus is on ensuring we're having a good time then we're missing the point of church. John the Baptist had it figured out when he told his disciples, "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30). The next time you're at church and something doesn't go the way you want it, remember, He will increase when you decide to decrease. It's not about you...it's about Him. Always improve the present moment.