Prayer
Briefly prepare your heart in silence, and ask the Holy Spirit to awaken your sense of anticipation that God is about to speak to you through His Word. Then, before you read, I invite you to pray this prayer based on Psalm 128:1-2
Lord, increase my reverence and awe for You,
so that I may walk in obedience to You,
be fruitful for You,
and prosper under Your gracious hand.
Amen.
Reading
On the same occasion and at the same Sabbath meal as Jesus taught His lesson on humility, Jesus also taught this radical lesson on generous hospitality.
Jesus’ host for the day had clearly invited the well-to-do and influential people to the table. Most likely this gave him the opportunity for what we would call “networking” and for scoring social credits with others who could repay him at some time in the future. Now although this is not evil in and of itself, Jesus calls His disciples to a higher way.
Like yesterday’s “Jesus-Way” of humility, today’s command is also very counter-cultural and even counter-intuitive. Jesus commanded:
“When you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed.” (v.13-14)
The principle underlying this command is one of self-giving hospitality. Jesus’ host had invited people whose presence at the table could benefit him in some self-focussed way. In contrast to this approach, Jesus calls His disciples to exercise hospitality towards people who have everything to gain from being at our table and nothing to give to us in return. Our purpose must be their benefit and blessing, not our own.
Although Jesus sets this command in the context of table-fellowship, we can certainly extract the following general principle from His teaching:
We ought to live in every way in a manner that seeks to bless and benefit others, without seeking to benefit from them in return.
In his commentary, William Barclay has this profound statement:
The law of the kingdom is this—
that if (one) gives to gain reward, (one) will receive no reward;
but if (one) gives with no thought of reward, (one’s) reward is certain.
The only real giving is that which is the uncontrollable outflow of love.
Giving as an “uncontrollable outflow of love“. Now there is a life worth living! And there is certainly also a lifestyle that only Jesus can empower us to truly live through His indwelling Spirit of Love.
Contemplation
Please take time to ponder what Jesus has commanded us. Turn this declaration over and over in your mind. Keep it in mind throughout the day and live in step with Your King, Jesus.
As a disciple of Jesus Christ:
- I will strive to bless and benefit others, without seeking to benefit from them in return.
Lord Jesus, I long to be generous as You are generous, but I know how often I stumble over my own self-interest. Please fill me with the Holy Spirit -Your Spirit of Love – so that others may receive an uncontrollable outflow of Your love through me. Amen.
Dave's Diary 