“But when you give a
banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be
blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection
of the righteous.” Luke 14.13 14
In this parable, Jesus gives an
illustration of a feast and the guests one might invite to show how we may act,
either to receive something good for ourselves in return, or to bless those who
are not well placed in this life and where there would be no “worldly” benefit
for us.
I see “the feast” as
representative of my life here on earth. Those I invite to the feast are the
people I choose to help during my life’s journey. I can cultivate friendships
and work with and for those who can directly benefit me in return. I see this
as being like inviting my friends, brothers, relatives and rich neighbours to
the feast. I can truly say that this manner of cultivating relationship has
always been alien to me. Certainly, I appreciate the relationships I have with
such people, but my connection with them is not prompted by any ulterior
motive.
Rather, my choice would be to
look for and help those who really need it, and who do not seem to have the
necessary ready support. These, indeed, are the poor, the crippled, the lame,
the blind. These are the people that Jesus would invite to His banquet. I pray
that God may lead me to minister to the likes of these.
Loving God,
Your heart seems to be clearly toward the poor, the crippled, the lame
and the blind. I see them at Your banquet, and their disabilities disappear.
I ask for a growing heart towards such people, and a deepening desire
to help them. As I do, may I share Your love with them such that they are
invited into relationship with You. The choice is always theirs, but may my
reaching out to them in practical ways bring home to them the spiritual
dimensions of this life of love.
I pray for the lost. May they be found. May I be used by You to invite
them to the banquet of the Lamb. Let me love them as You do, in Jesus’ name I
ask. Amen.
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