Hey everybody, welcome to the podcast, I’m Nick and it’s so cool to be here with you today.
Today is September 7.
Each day, we follow a simple rhythm: Slow Down, Read, Notice, Reread, Meditate, Respond, and Exercise.
Let’s begin.

Slow Down

Jesus is glad you’re here. He longs to spend time with you. He loves you deeply and wants to be in your presence.
Take a moment to pause, quiet your mind, and turn your attention toward Him.
Close your eyes. Take a deep breath in, then slowly release it.
As you inhale, whisper: “Jesus, I humble myself before You.”
As you exhale, pray: “Thank you for being with me.”
Do this three times, then rest in silence.

Read

Now he told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they chose the places of honor, saying to them, “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”
(Luke 14:7–11, NLT)

Notice

What stands out to you in this passage?
Is there a phrase that surprises or challenges you?
Hold it in your heart for a moment.

Reread

Hear this passage again — and pay attention to what Jesus notices and what He says about it.

Meditate

Jesus noticed.
He's at a dinner party — a formal meal at a Pharisee's house — and He watches as the guests jockey for position. Everyone gravitating toward the best seats. Everyone wanting to be seen in the right place, next to the right people, at the right end of the table.
And Jesus notices. He always notices.
He tells a parable — but it's barely a parable. It's practical wisdom wrapped in a story. Don't grab the seat of honor. Because if someone more distinguished arrives, you'll be asked to move — and the shame of that public demotion is far worse than the quiet humility of starting low.
Instead, take the lowest place. And let the host come to you and say: "Friend, move up higher."
There's something beautiful in that phrase. "Friend." Not "servant." Not "guest." Friend. The host sees you. He knows where you belong. And he honors you publicly — not because you demanded it, but because you didn't.
But Jesus isn't just giving social advice. He's describing the entire logic of His Kingdom: "Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."
This is the upside-down Kingdom again. The one who grabs for position loses it. The one who releases it finds it given back — by the host, at the right time, in the right way.
Humility isn't weakness. It's the posture of someone who trusts the host to know where they belong. It's the confidence of someone who doesn't need to secure their own place because they trust the One who is in charge of the seating.
Take a few moments to sit with this question:
Where am I grabbing for the seat of honor — seeking recognition, position, or approval — instead of trusting God to lift me up in His time?

Respond

Jesus, I come to You humbly. I release my need to be seen, to be recognized, to be in the right place at the right time. I trust You to be my host — to see where I belong and to lift me up in Your time. Help me to take the lowest place with confidence, knowing that You are the one who exalts.

Exercise

The rush of life will meet you again when you leave this sacred place—but you can carry this moment into your day by forming new habits.
Habit: Take the Lowest Place
Today's habit is an act of deliberate humility: identify one specific situation today where you're tempted to grab the seat of honor — to seek recognition, to promote yourself, to make sure people know what you've done — and choose the lowest place instead.
It might be a meeting where you're tempted to speak first and loudest. It might be a social media post designed to make you look impressive. It might be a conversation where you keep steering back to your own accomplishments. It might be a situation where you're angling for credit that could be shared or given away.
Write it down. Be specific.
Bring it to Jesus and pray: "Jesus, I'm tempted to grab the seat of honor when it comes to _________________. I want to be seen. I want to be recognized. But You said the one who humbles himself will be exalted. I'm choosing the lowest place today. I trust You to be my host. I trust You to see where I belong. Lift me up in Your time — not mine."
Then do the humble thing. Give the credit away. Let someone else speak first. Serve without announcing it. Take the seat at the end of the table.
The host is watching. And He has a way of saying "Friend, move up higher" to the ones who didn't demand it.
Take the lowest place today. And trust the host.

I have two asks of you before you go, could you please share this podcast with one person today and check out the review of this podcast on Elevate Society?
That’s your two minutes with Jesus for today.
Now, take what you’ve heard…share it and live it.
Until next time, keep slowing down, keep listening, and keep walking with Jesus.