January 14

I was re-reading the passage in Luke and I came to these verses;

Luke 14:12-14 (NIV)
12 Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid.
13 But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind,
14 and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Can I be honest and tell you that I don't like the truth that I just got? I like truth, and the life that is found in it, but man this thing is hard! The Kingdom life is hard sometimes, it's uncomfortable, it's unfair in my thinking!

Jesus says here to seek out people who cannot pay you back and give to them. Don't just invite your friends, give to your friends, lend to your friends, but do it to people of no means! Do it to people who can't give you squat in return! Did you get that? Does this rock you like it rocks me? If not, please write me about the last time (I am sure this week) that you did this and how it went. The Kingdom - the rule of God's territory is propagated strangely. Think about this though; If we are this way, giving and expecting nothing in return, being kind to strangers of no means, etc..., people would not only be without excuse before God and in their own minds, but we would change the spiritual climate of this territory by creating an avenue for the Kingdom of God to "drive". Think about it.