“But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.” Luke 14:13-14 ESV
Reflection: what happens when you cannot repay a debt?
Many governments around the world have spent money they don’t have, having to borrow from other nations. Whether it is on social programs, climate hysteria, wars, or even immigration, debts have risen to a point that there is no way to pay it back. The US debt alone is increasing $100 billion every 10 days, a staggering number when you think about it. There is now a serious effort to look for ways to get control of the spending before it is too late. It is of course not a simple, nor a pleasant process to get control of spending, and then to start paying down the debt.
Most understand this, and are familiar with having to manage income versus spending, savings and debt. And we know what happens if we cannot pay back a debt that we owe. Debt is actually a very central theme in Bible, to illustrate spiritual truths. In today’s verses, Jesus is dining with the ruler of the Pharisees; an important group of people in those days. At least in their own eyes.
And as Jesus is looking around at all these important, self righteous people, he makes an observation that speaks of their hearts. All the people invited were “worthy” and could “pay back” the favor of being invited. Which meant that the dinner had a different meaning. It was more for show, for status to be invited back; not as a gift to the guests.
“He 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.” Luke 14:12 ESV
And Jesus goes on using this situation for telling a parable of the great banquet, sitting at the table in the kingdom of God. That only those who accept the invitation, realizing full well that they have no way of returning the favor, pay back this great honor, will enter the great banquet of God. Sitting at His table, is a gift from God. He wants to give us of Himself, through His Word and His Spirit, each day. He says to us, come and eat. It is ready.
““Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.” Isaiah 55:1 ESV.
There is also a great parallel here, of how we treat others around us, our neighbor. Do we prioritize and focus on those who we can benefit from, who will give something back? Or do we have the heart of our Father, who favors those who he knows they can never pay Him back, but receive with gratitude?