Luke 14:12-18: a reflection

12He also said to the one who had invited him, “When you make a dinner or a supper, don’t call your friends, nor your brothers, nor your kinsmen, nor rich neighbors, or perhaps they might also return the favor, and pay you back. 13But when you make a feast, ask the poor, the maimed, the lame, or the blind; 14and you will be blessed, because they don’t have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous.” 15When one of those who sat at the table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is he who will feast in God’s Kingdom!” 16But he said to him, “A certain man made a great supper, and he invited many people. 17He sent out his servant at supper time to tell those who were invited, ‘Come, for everything is ready now.’ 18They all as one began to make excuses. “The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please have me excused.’

At a dinner, Jesus turns to his host with a surprising word about whom to invite. When you make a feast, don't call your friends, your rich neighbors, who can repay you, he says; but invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they don't have the resources to repay you. For you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous. Jesus commends a giving that expects no return from those we give to, a kindness shown to those who cannot repay it; and he promises that such giving is not unrewarded, but repaid by God at the resurrection. The reward comes not from those we give to, but from God.

Notice the kind of giving Jesus commends: giving to those who cannot repay you. Much of our giving and kindness flows, whether we admit it or not, to those who can return the favor, repay us, benefit us in turn; but Jesus commends giving to those who have nothing to give back, the poor, the disabled, those who cannot repay. Such giving expects no return from the recipient; and precisely because of that, Jesus says, it is blessed, for God himself will repay it at the resurrection. The reward for such giving comes not from the one we give to, but from God. To give to those who cannot repay is to give freely, looking to God for the reward rather than to the recipient.

That is worth taking to heart, for we are called to give to those who cannot repay us, looking to God for our reward. We can direct our giving and kindness toward those who can repay us, benefit us, return the favor, keeping a hidden ledger; but Jesus commends giving to those who cannot repay, the poor and the needy, looking to God for the reward rather than to them. Such giving is free, and God himself repays it. Do not give only to those who can repay you, keeping a hidden expectation of return; give also to those who cannot repay, looking to God for your reward, as Jesus commended. Give to those who cannot repay you, looking to God for your reward rather than to the recipient, as Jesus said to invite the poor who cannot repay, for you will be repaid at the resurrection; for giving to those who cannot repay is free and blessed, and God himself repays such giving, so that we may give freely, looking to him for the reward rather than to those we give to.

Lord Jesus, at a dinner, you turn to your host with a surprising word about whom to invite. When you make a feast, don't call your friends, your rich neighbors, who can repay you, you say; but invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they don't have the resources to repay you; for you will be repaid in the resurrection of the righteous. You commend a giving that expects no return from those we give to, and promise that such giving is repaid by God at the resurrection. Show me the kind of giving you commend: giving to those who cannot repay. Much of our giving flows, whether we admit it or not, to those who can return the favor; but you commend giving to those who have nothing to give back, the poor, the disabled. Such giving expects no return from the recipient; and precisely because of that, you say, it is blessed, for God himself will repay it. The reward comes not from the one we give to, but from you. Take that to my heart, for I am called to give to those who cannot repay me, looking to you for my reward. I can direct my giving and kindness toward those who can repay me, benefit me, return the favor, keeping a hidden ledger; but you commend giving to those who cannot repay. Such giving is free, and you yourself repay it. Keep me from giving only to those who can repay me, keeping a hidden expectation of return; help me give also to those who cannot repay, Lord, looking to you for my reward, as you commended inviting the poor who cannot repay.