GIMME SHELTER

Luke 14: 7 – 14


Dinner parties are weird little things. There are plans for everything from what to serve, is there to be a theme to this extravaganza, where to serve the meal, and who to invite.
Our invitation list usually contains friends, relatives, neighbors, and possibly influential people from the town or your job.
All well to do and familiar people. That way we feel safe and comfortable in our home.
But, we have to take into consideration what Jesus would have done.

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."

It takes time to wait for a reward such as righteousness at the resurrection. We tend to want repayments and rewards immediately, sooner if possible. When we invite our usual friends, we get that rapid form of reward like being invited to other peoples houses, or prestige.
Jesus also gave instruction for us who are invited to somebody else's home for dinner.

10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honoured in the presence of all your fellow guests.
11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

Etiquette taught to us from 2000 years ago that still stands today. That whole last shall be first thinking helps us to be humble without being humiliated.