No One at Head Table

About five years ago I spoke to a co-worker about my mom's pending cancer treatment. I'd heard that this lady was a cancer survivor, and she gave me lots of encouragement, just being willing to talk about it. She didn't overwhelm me with information or instructions - just let me talk whenever I walked by her cube - and let me know that our family wasn't the first, or only family experiencing cancer. She later moved to a different building on our campus, but whenever I've seen her, she's alway's asked, "how's your mom?" And having heard my brother-in-law has cancer, she now asks after him.

Last week she sent me an invitation to a luncheon at work, an annual gathering for cancer mentors and survivors like herself. "I'm not a mentor or a survivor," I said, "I've been on the receiving side of your support."   "That's ok," she assured me, "it's for anyone who's been involved."

Partly because she's been so kind to me, I drove to the luncheon. And, part of me wanted to go because it helps to be around people who understand the unspoken concerns of cancer - even for a family member like me, who is not sick. 

When I arrived, she walked right up to me and put me at ease in her conversational, every-person style. "How's your brother-in-law?" she asked without prompting. And I met other people gathering there - a young mother who's daughter has leukemia. A man who has survived prostate cancer, and just lost a co-worker friend who did not.

We all sat at simple, round banquet tables and chatted - about cancer. It wasn't the least bit morbid or discomforting. It was encouraging and helpful.

When you sensed it was time for a speaker to step up to the microphone podium - there was no head table - my friend of five years from the simple office cube, who was seated inauspiciously next to me at the luncheon, got up and went to the front. She, it turns out, is the leader and founder of this soon-to-be international fellowship of survivors and mentors.  In her simple way, she recalled how they had founded their little group 10 years ago, only to have it touch thousands of lives - like mine - in the process. And then the president of our business walked up and presented her his personal thanks for all she's done, and continues to do.

Jesus tells the parable of a banquet, where people were choosing seats of honor at the front.

"But when you are invited, take the lowest place, then when your host comes, he will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.' Then you will honored in the presence of your fellow guests. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Luke 14:10

I saw my friend take the lowest place, next to me -- only to be called to the front and honored by the highest authority in our business. And, I expect, one day she might receive a similar greeting from the highest Authority of all.

What do you believe?