Love like Jesus

Genesis 34-36; Luke 14

“…’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. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Luke 14:12-14

Who lives like this?

Jesus’ principles of social interaction are counter culture and counter human nature. The reciprocity principle in all social interactions limits our circle of friendships to those of equal or higher standing than ourselves. Jesus challenges us to reach out socially to those who could never repay us. In doing so, we will be blessed, not just those to whom we are opening our home and life. More specifically, by opening our home to the most vulnerable (poor, crippled, lame, blind), we are communicating that our Father’s love is for all. It is this sacrificial love which moved Jesus to leave the glory of heaven for the pain of earth, and to even love the self-deceived Laodocian church in her poverty and blindness (Revelation 3:14-22).

Will we love like Jesus?

“Lord Jesus, love sacrificially through me, for your glory.”