I found this short audio clip on the Desiring God blog challenging us to think through who we should invite to Thanksgiving dinner. It is a about a five minute clip, and it is definitely worth listening to.
Luke 14:12-14
12He said also to the man who had invited him, "When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. 13But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, 14and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just."
4 comments:
WOW Dave you are so right. But who among us could do that? Oh we all want to - but who could?
we all COULD. I dont get that comment. Maybe anonymous meant to say who would?
Those who see Jesus in others regardless of their physical, social and economic status would I guess.
Sarah you are accurate. We all "could" but who and how many actually "did"?
Thats what, I think, Anonymous meant. We all want to - but who could? Who did?
The thing about this challenge is that we don't have to make it TOO difficult. We don't have to think to long to make a list of people who probably have family to spend Thanksgiving with. It could be the college student from another country, a single adult who isn't traveling to be with family, a family who is going through financial hardship, etc. I think all of us are in relationship with people who we could host and show hospitality to with no expectation of return payment. Or it may mean a more creative/intentional effort. I know a pastor in Hyde Park who intentionally builds relationships with homeless people in the neighborhood throughout the year. For Thanksgiving he and his family host a meal for 30-40 homeless people in their home. His wife and kids are all involved. Most of us look at that and if we're honest ask questions like, "what if my furniture gets dirty? or "what if they steal something?" When we begin to ask those types of questions we have missed the message that Christ was teaching.
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