When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, “They have no wine.” 4 And Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” 5 His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”
6 Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” And they filled them up to the brim.
It's even clearer that when Mary was talking to Jesus about the lack of wine and instructed the waiters to "Do whatever he tells you," they were all together in the same place with the waiters. The waiters were right there with them and vice versa, revealing accurately where Jesus and company were in the wedding. They were in the kitchen. That's where waiters hangout in feasts.
You see that?
Jesus would rather be with the servants in the kitchen than be at specially designated tables or even with guests. He was comfortable to be with the waiters--the unknown, the lowly, the nobodies, the faceless, the despised. This detail reveals so much of Jesus' character and preferences.
Yes, you'd see him in social functions and invited to grand dinners but not so much with dignitaries and the rich and famous. He was seen more with the servants and serving with them.
We'd prefer to sit next to popular personalities celebrated by society, to be seen talking with them and having our selfie or groupie pictures taken and posted on FB to brag to friends. We'd love being identified with the elite--the rich, politicians and showbiz people. We're crazy about them. We're proud to be in that company.
We do this even in church. We love inviting the famous, the titled and the degreed as speakers, paying close attention and treating them well. But we want nothing to do with the lesser rest, those with nothing to show for it.
Not Jesus. He loved being with the lowly, belittled or rejected.
Didn't Claim Credit
After turning water into wine so that the master of ceremonies announced and marveled at the good quality of wine still being served even to the wee hours of the feast, Jesus never claimed credit. He just sat there smiling, keeping mum and settled in a dimly lit corner of the kitchen, happy and content to be of some help.
I wonder how many of us, pastors, would do the same. I mean, not grab the credit which would have been a perfect occasion to promote our ministry and service to society for "God's glory" and evangelize to people? You just performed a miracle! So you go to the master of ceremonies:
"Ahh, I did the miracle. Glory to God!"
You may even want the MC to recite a liturgy of your credentials and achievements before being introduced. It would have led to invitations for us to speak or perform miracles in special occasions, not just turning plain liquids into whisky, beer or vodka but multiplying fine-dining food from a few loaves and fish.
We may even be made partners of a bar and restaurant business and make money for ministry. We'd probably entertain the idea. It's a great ministry exposure.
Jesus didn't think so. He didn't grab any chance for self-promotion or public exposure even to boost God's work. He stayed away from such publicity. Do we have this discipline and faith today? Can you keep quiet in the face of so much success?
Let the deed do the talking.
Where Were you?
And where are you in this wedding? If the wedding were to take place today and you're invited, where would you be found? At the presidential table with the big shots? Somewhere in the guests area? Would you be invited to do the officiating yourself? How about the program coordinator? Or, is there any chance you'd be sent to serve in the kitchen?
Jesus was invited as a guest but he chose to be in the kitchen.
Nothing wrong with being anywhere else in weddings except the kitchen. It's good to be among the big shots, even being one of them, if it's God's will. That's a blessing. It isn't necessary to insist on hiding in the kitchen, avoiding people or refusing to be with high-profile individuals--or trying to turn water into wine. It's okay if you can't.
The thing here is, you can be at a big-time presidential table associating with people from high places or sitting with the guests, or officiating or coordinating the program. What's vital is you maintain your humility, especially toward the lowly, like those doing menial jobs and serving people. How do you treat waiters and security guards or janitors? Something like that. Always ask yourself, where's your heart when you're in the company of the great?
Where do you place yourself at the wedding in Cana?
