But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” vss. 13-14
Luke 14:12-14
Most of us take pains to maintain a kind of social equilibrium in our relationships. We track the interactions that we have with our friends and relatives and make sure that they don’t become one-sided. No matter what it is, from dinner invitations to picking up the check from a meal, we want to make sure that we have repaid every kind gesture. This generally results in a lengthy cycle of invitations and counter-invitations, and when we’re aware of an indebtedness we move heaven and earth until we are confident that the ledger is square. Jesus was aware of those tendencies–they were happening in his time too–and he used the custom to make an important point about generosity. He tells us not to get caught up in these little societal legalisms. Instead, we are to deliberately seek to do acts of kindness to those who can’t possibly repay us. We’re not in the business of being his followers to reap the benefits of our goodness. When we are faithful to our calling, we’re not going to get rich or gain social standing through our serving and loving. Will we ever be rewarded? Of course, God takes care of us, and ultimately we always get what we deserve.
Thought for the Day: Who do I owe a dinner invitation to?
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