Luke 14:1, 7-14 (NRSV)
Read Luke 14:1, 7-14 on biblegateway.com
Chapter 14On 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.
Verse 7When he noticed how the guests chose the places of honor, he told them a parable. Verse 8"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; Verse 9and 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. Verse 10But 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. Verse 11For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted." Verse 12He 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. Verse 13But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Verse 14And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you, for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous."
Devotion
Our Augustana University students learn a great deal in soup kitchens here in Sioux Falls and in our partner congregation, Trinity Lutheran on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Trinity regularly serves 1000 people per week. Our orientation encourages us to check judgment at the door.
Students are often challenged by the stark contradictions. They see the intense poverty where we're working and then they see the extravagant wealth on Fifth and Park Avenues. They brought this challenge to [Trinity's] Pastor Phil, "How can you endure these contradictions?" Pastor Phil quietly said, "When I said, 'Check judgement at the door' I meant, check judgment all around. The contradictions are hard, but we wouldn't be here if it weren't for the generosity of people on Fifth Avenue. The way I see it, everyone needs forgiveness and everyone needs bread. Both bread and forgiveness are more powerful than judgment."
Prayer
Give us this day our daily bread. Help us forgive as we are forgiven. Amen.