Luke 14:12 – 15 The Poor

Luke 14:12 – 15 The Poor

Then he said to the host who invited him, "When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous." One of his fellow guests on hearing this said to him, "Blessed is the one who will dine in the kingdom of God."

Jesus is sitting down to dinner at somebody’s house. He addresses his host saying whenever you give a dinner do not invite your wealthy friends and neighbors, your family and relatives. They might invite you in return. Instead invite the poor, the lame, the blind, even though they cannot repay you. When I first read this I keyed in on the fact that your friends and relatives are all familiar to you and the others are strangers. I thought Jesus was telling us to get out beyond our comfort zone and meet, mingle and assist those who are different from us. Then I came across the part on payment. I think this was the key point for Jesus. If you have the means to be feeding more than your family, don’t share that bounty only with those who can reciprocate in kind. That only insulates you from the needs in the community around you and keeps your wealth in a small enclosed circle. Spread the (your) wealth Jesus seems to be saying. If you have gifts, be they spiritual or material - get out of your comfort zone. Look to those around you. This is not so easy to do today. I have a tendency to keep myself busy in the routine and distractions of my life. Help me to recognize the opportunities God puts in front of me and act upon them. Amen.