“When you host a dinner or a banquet, don’t invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors so you can be invited by them in return and get repaid. But when you host an elaborate meal, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind.” —Luke 14:12–14
God is concerned about everyone, regardless of their economic status or popularity. I am reminded of how David became King over Israel. His predecessor, King Saul, and Saul’s son Jonathan (David’s beloved and loyal friend) were dead. At that time, it was a customary practice for new kings to execute all remaining heirs of the previous king’s family to ensure the safety of their throne. But … wanting to show kindness in remembrance of Jonathan, King David throws a kink in the custom:
“Then David asked, ‘Is anyone still left from the family of Saul, so that I may extend kindness to him for the sake of Jonathan?’ Now there was a servant from Saul’s house named Ziba, so he was summoned to David. The king asked him, ‘Are you Ziba?’ He replied, ‘At your service.’ The king asked, ‘Is there not someone left from Saul’s family, that I may extend God’s kindness to him?’ Ziba said to the king, ‘One of Jonathan’s sons is left; both of his feet are crippled.’ The king asked him, ‘Where is he?’ Ziba told the king, ‘He is at the house of Makir son of Ammiel in Lo Debar.’ … ‘You will cultivate the land for him—you and your sons and your servants. You will bring its produce and it will be food for your master’s grandson to eat. But Mephibosheth, your master’s grandson, will be a regular guest at my table.’ (Now Ziba had fifteen sons and twenty servants.) Mephibosheth was living in Jerusalem, for he was a regular guest at the king’s table. But both his feet were crippled.” —2 Samuel 9:1–3, 9–10, 13
It has been said that you can tell a great deal about a person’s character by how they treat those who can do nothing to benefit or help them. We see from this account of David’s life that it is no wonder God calls him “a man after my own heart” (Acts 13:22).
We see Jesus demonstrating this same compassion in a scene described in Matthew:
“When he left there, Jesus went along the Sea of Galilee. Then he went up a mountain, where he sat down. Then large crowds came to him bringing with them the lame, blind, crippled, mute, and many others. They laid them at his feet, and he healed them. As a result, the crowd was amazed when they saw the mute speaking, the crippled healthy, the lame walking, and the blind seeing, and they praised the God of Israel. Then Jesus called the disciples and said, ‘I have compassion on the crowd, because they have already been here with me three days and they have nothing to eat. I don’t want to send them away hungry since they may faint on the way.’” —Matthew 15:29–32
Ever the reasonable, humanly possible thinking disciples balked at the idea, saying:
“Where can we get enough bread in this desolate place to satisfy so great a crowd?” —Matthew 15:33
Yet seven loaves of bread and a few small fish in the Master’s hands were enough to satisfy the four thousand plus the women and children:
“After instructing the crowd to sit down on the ground, he took the seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he took seven loaves and the fish, and after giving thanks, he broke them and began giving them to the disciples, who then gave them to the crowds. They all ate and were satisfied, and they picked up the broken pieces left over, seven baskets full. Not counting children and women, there were four thousand men who ate.” —Matthew 15:35–38
Become More
“Contribute to the needs of the saints, pursue hospitality.” —Romans 12:13
Further Reflection
“I am a humble pensioner myself for my daily bread.
Shall I forget my brother who seems in great need?
I know not how it happened that I have more than they,
Unless God meant that I should give a larger part away.
The humblest wayside beggar and I have wants the same.
Close side by side we walked when God called out one name.
So brother, it happened the name He called was mine,
The food was given for both, here, half of it is thine.” —Helen Hunt Jackson