Luke 14:1, 7-14
But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. . .
I guess with the third biggest picnic day of the summer coming up on Monday next week, the traditional end- of-summer picnic day, this scripture hit me in a gut-punch kind of way. Like, at what point do we invest in our broken infrastructure and social/emotional structure in the church and in society, as much as we invest in what we do to plan for a big family gathering like a Labor Day Picnic?
I have been out-of-sorts lately and it isn't just because I took my only begotten son and laid him at the manger of Marymount Manhattan College. I have been a little off kilter because I can't seem to find meaning and purpose in the Christian movement sometimes. I can't seem to figure out why we are here doing what we are doing on any given day. I love everyone in my congregation and consider my work sacred and divinely-ordered, but I am seeking more than what is before me. And yet, I fall into the trap of not seeking it at all, myself.
I spent an enormous amount of energy and time lately planning and organizing Jake's going away New York, New York Party. I researched foods, party decorations, you name it. Pinterest was my best friend. And now I wonder what would happen if I actually spent half that amount of time preparing a banquet to which I invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind, as Jesus mentions in this week's text? Would I then feel like I had discovered the Christian movement's purpose? Is that the real purpose after all? Is it not about buildings and all the niceties we call the 'church,' but actually about being God's helpers in the world of need?
And if that is the case, someone tell me how we take the next step.
Email me or comment below.
OK, so neither you nor I have this figured out how to save the world and all the down trodden..
ReplyDeleteIn high school my biggest competitor was John. We studied our math & science homework together. He was graduated as the class valedictorian. I was in the top 20%. In business I though I had a great creative mind. Then Bob joined my group (like a Leonardo Da Vinci). I was able to help get Bob's creative works through the corporate politics.
Somewhere, sometime it began to dawn on me that I'm not the top of the class; my creations were good but not award winning. I'm not ignorant. So what's wrong?
Not much. I realized there are people who are more capable (maybe blessed)to do things that are beyond my skills. Eventually I recognized I did have some attributes that contributed. Little things maybe, but they worked. I am here for my family, loved ones, friends and community. These aren't news worthy or materialistically rewarding. There are no Nobel Awards or even hours of homeless shelter work. When I see what effect I've made on small events I feel I can do a big event when it is my turn.
So I stay calm, study and be prepared to support the Johns & Bobs when that time happens. Someday it might even be me that leads the parade.
In the meantime I quit beating myself on the head.