Luke 14:12-14

Luke 14:12-14

And He was also speaking to the one who has called Him.  “Whenever you should make a dinner or a late supper, do not call your friends or your brothers or your kinsman or your wealthy neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you should get a recompense for yourself.  Rather, whenever you should make a feast, call the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind.  You will also be blessed, because they do not have a recompense for you.  And He will give you a reward in the resurrection of the righteous.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Jesus has just got done speaking to the invited guests and He was accusing them of fighting for the important seats.  Jesus isn’t done.  Jesus now turns to the man who invited Him.  He begins to accuse him of inviting the wrong people.  Jesus recognizes the fact that the man who invited Him is inviting people who are interested in appearances and status.  Of course they will want to repay the favor.  They’ll probably even want to throw a better party to show how great they are!  That’s Jesus’ point.  When we are so wrapped up in our status, reputation, and reward we will be living in the moment.  We’ll get our reward and it’ll pass on by.

How often do you seek after the people who can pay you back?  How often do you do things just so that you will be recognized?  How often do you do something so that someone else with some power will owe you a favor?

Second Thought:

Then Jesus suggests the absurd – at least to human thinking.  Jesus says that we should invite the lame, the blind, the disabled, and the poor.  He is saying to this well-known leader that he should be offering hospitality to people who are overlooked and who have nothing in life.  Here’s the thing.  Jesus paints this in the light of getting an eternal reward from the Father since these people cannot certainly repay our hospitality.  But it is really deeper than this.  When we are kind to people who are unable to repay, we have an incredible opportunity to speak into the life of people.  We can draw them closer to God by showing them grace and mercy that they are unable to repay.  This is why the Father will reward us.

Who in your life is unable to repay your kindness and willing to receive it?  How willing are you to trust your reward into the hands of Father?

Third Thought:

Delayed gratification.  This is really an important story to hear, know, and teach in the modern world.  So often we want it now.  We don’t want to wait for what will make us happy.  However, the reality is that there is no better reward than what the Father can give to us.  When we think about it in these terms what Jesus says here is spot on.  What is better, to get a temporary reward now or to get an eternal reward from the Father who knows how to sustain our life?

Where is your treasure?  For what are you working?  What reward is important to you?

Passage for Tomorrow: Luke 14:15-24