Looking good or being good

In 2016, I read a deeply moving devotional by Jennifer Benson Schuldt in an “Our Daily Bread” devotional. She wrote about the history-making lives of two remarkable mountain climbers, Sherpa Nawang Gombu and Jim Whittaker, who set a goal of together climbing to the summit of Mount Everest.

As the men neared the top of the world’s tallest peak, 29,029 feet above sea level, and realized they were about to achieve their dream, each began thinking about who should have the honor of stepping on the summit first. Whittaker motioned for Gombu to step up to the peak first. Gombu refused, and said with a smile, “You first, Big Jim.” Eventually, the two decided neither one would take that decisive step alone.

Almost exactly 52 years ago today, on May 1, 1963, both men together took the last step to the top of Mount Everest. Their decision to share the honor of reaching the summit together revealed they were not only remarkable climbers but also exceptional teammates.

Gombu and Whittaker’s story reminds me of one of Jesus’ most unusual stories about a man who attended a dinner and sat at the head table without being offered the seat of honor. In the parable, Jesus explained that instead of taking the most prestigious seat, we should take a back seat since it is far better to be asked to step up to an honored position than to be removed from an honor we achieved by promoting ourselves.

I am sometimes frustrated when I see people rising to a place of distinction through shameless self-promotion, focusing primarily on what makes them look good. Politicians frequently do this, but to be honest, it is not just our elected officials, each of us sometimes falls prey to the temptation of making ourselves look better than we are. Jesus was right when he cautioned, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Luke 14:11, NLT)

Jesus’ point was simple and profound, it is better to have others notice what we are doing than it is to manipulate circumstances to make ourselves look good. Each of us should do more than merely seek to look good but instead should focus on the higher goal of being good. This is the only proper perspective since God knows precisely who we are. We may sometimes deceive others, but no one ever pulls the wool over his eyes.