On one occasion when Jesus was going to the house of a leader of the Pharisees to eat a meal on the sabbath, they were watching him closely. When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor he told them a parable. ‘When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, do not sit down at the place of honor in case someone more distinguished than you has been invited by your host; and the host who invited both of you may come and say to you, “Give this person your place”, and then in disgrace you would start to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit down at the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he may say to you, “Friend, move up higher”; then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.’ He said also to the one who had invited him, ‘When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’ (Luke 14:1,7-14, NRSV)
Honor and shame is all Jesus is talking about here. Society in His day was based on honor and shame. People invited people to dinner parties that would then be in their debt. So they would have someone, or many someones who would owe them something.
Jesus here gives us 2 pieces of advice. One that is very good advice – Be Humble. Be Modest, and do not think to highly of yourself. We all have moments where we think to highly of ourselves. Jesus advises us to be modest and to not take to high of a seat so when we are asked to move up, we receive more honor. Good advice.
The second piece of advice is fairly ludicrous! Jesus turns to the one giving the party and tells them to invite people who can not do anything for them. Really? How am I suppose to gain more honor if a do things for those who can’t do me any favors in return? Or if they are indebted to me, I will never get anything because they can’t repay me? Jesus wants us to see what the kingdom of God is like. Where those who do not deserve or can repay get everything, just like you!
And this week is the 50th anniversary of the Martin Luther King Jr I Have A Dream Speech. It is very interesting that this momentous occasion in American history almost did not happen they way it did. For some history on this read Rev. David Hansen’s blog here.
But I contest that the dream that Martin talks about is not his dream, but God’s vision, and what Jesus tells us about in the reading above! We are to love each person equally and accept everyone regardless of how they look, how they act and if they agree with us or not. The dream that has yet to be realized 50 years later, or is that 2000 years later is one that we can make happen if we will do what Jesus told us to. So what does your faith mean to you and has it changed you to be countercultural and not be worried about who has done what for me lately!
Live the dream and the vision of the kingdom of God and be different!
aSacredRebel 