Who Will Be Your Dinner Guests?

Jesus introduced a totally new way of doing hospitality when He came as the Son of Man. His love for humanity was the source from which He acted towards the outcasts of His time. His meal plans were different.

Jesus suggested a new way. He said that when we have a luncheon or a dinner we should invite the poor, crippled, and blind. He said there is a blessing in doing this. He thought this was better than inviting our friends, family, or rich neighbors. The latter group would probably invite us to their home soon to return the favor - it would be kind of like a repayment. The first group would be too poor to repay us so we would be repaid by God later (see Luke 14:12-16).

This is an interesting teaching. Very few believers seem to practice this way of hospitality. It is definitely out of the box in our society. One of the people eating with Jesus that day understood what Jesus was saying. He began to proclaim blessing on everyone who would eat bread in the kingdom of God. He was connecting to the revelation that kingdom living is different – not normal. Our love is to reach beyond our friends, family and prestigious people. He got it. Have we got it yet?

Let’s consider having a meal and inviting someone we don’t know or barely know. What if we limited our conversations during the meal to life experiences instead of religious talk. What if we freed ourselves of any hidden motives to convert them? Our desire must be to honor and love them first. What if we were prayerful about the meal, asking our Father God how He would want us to honor them? What if there was a rule that the ones we invited cannot invite us to a dinner? This would guard against reacting only out of feelings of obligation. What if we were truly set free of obligation slavery for a season? What if we learned to love like they do in heaven?

In this teaching, I really think Jesus was giving us keys to how they love in heaven. They don’t operate out of obligation. It is all about heart and passion. We cannot even begin to pay our Father back for all He has done and does for us. Upon entering His presence in eternity, the revelation will only multiply, that we cannot repay Him. So, I would dare bet that the society of heaven does nothing out of obligation. They are free to serve without jealousy or envy. Spontaneous and impulsive actions of love are the order of the day. It’s a new kind of normal that Jesus felt needed to be implemented on the earth 2,000 years ago. When will we begin? Do you want to try it? If we will, I believe we will bless God in it.