Wake up call - who are your Real Guests?

Even though it is the beginning of a new year, I thought about the end of the past year as I came across these shocking verses from the bible last night. Here are they - Luke 14:12-14

Jesus also said to the man who had invited Him, When you give a dinner or a supper, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, lest perhaps they also invite you in return, and so you are paid back.

But when you give a banquet or a reception, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind.

Then you will be blessed (happy, fortunate, and to be envied), because they have no way of repaying you, and you will be recompensed at the resurrection of the just (upright).

The above verses hit straight at me and I introspected about how I (In general people) spent days at the end of the year 2008. It was the time of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New year. We all have invited our friends, relatives and people from fellowship for lunches and dinners. But did we invite the Real Guests as mentioned by Jesus? The ones that should be invited are those who cannot repay our kindness that we show them.

Unfortunately most of us would have invited the not so important guests such as those who can repay our kindness and lost the opportunity to please our heavenly father. It is alright to invite these kind of guests, but it is much better if we follow the above advice from Jesus in addition to inviting our usual guests.

I am wondering why are we not inviting the real guests to our lunches and dinners? Some of the things that came to my mind are -

• We may have distanced ourselves from them.
  
• We may not be willing to identify ourselves with them.
• We may be concerned about our security.
• We may not be mindful of them.

The list can go on if we honestly introspect ourselves. The truth of the matter is we lost touch with the Real Guests, with our sophisticated life styles. Where as if we look at Jesus - He came to die for these Real Guests who cannot repay the price. While He was on the earth, He moved closer to them, didn't ignore their physical needs and ate with them. In short, He was and is mindful of them. As the wise saying goes, "Where there is a will, there is a way", I am sure we can find ways to follow the advice from Jesus.

This kindness need not be limited to lunches and dinners only. It can and need to be extended to lending to poor and helping the needy. It is worthwhile to read Deuteronomy Chapter 15 from the Bible to understand the importance God gives to these Real Guests.

It takes real faith and a Christ like heart to practice this. We are called to be different and to be compassionate just as our heavenly father is. It was a wake up call for me and I pray you that you will take it as a wake up call for you too.

I would love to listen to your thoughts. Please don't hesitate to post your comments.

Questions to ponder:

1. If you are not mindful of the Real Guests, can you write down some of the reasons?
2. Do you have the courage, faith and a Christ like heart to be different going forward?