He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
Luke 14:12-14
Lord, my heart this day is easily consumed with “me” and what my needs are. As I reflect upon the duties of the day, I quickly reflect upon the things I must do and, more importantly, the people I must engage with. I confess that there looms in the back of my mind the question, “What must I do to impress or gain their favor?” And as I embark on my encounters with them I put my “best face” on in an attempt to win them over. Often lost on me are those who could use my assistance, whose day will be brightened up with just a smile or a pittance of attention. Today, though I confess I have this deep belief that I need the transactional relationships that are in life, thank You for reminding me that it is not my efforts that result in the “tit for tat” responses from them, it is Your favor. Thank You for bringing to my remembrance that it is You that is the source of all that comes my way. It is not my efforts. More importantly today I ask that You would open my eyes to those who will come into my presence or cross my path that need a blessing from me. Do not let me be caught up with whether they can pay it back or even whether they are hustling me and taking advantage of me. Remind me that it is not them that is using me. It is You. Keep ever before me that their motivation should not be the fuel for determining what I do. Instead, I do what I do because I love You. It is my way of demonstrating Your love in a tangible way. By blessing, You bless me. Help me to pursue that with all my heart this day so that You might be seen in me and through. I pray this in Your Name. Amen.