Luke 14:1, 7–14
Who should I invite to my birthday party? This is a serious question for most children. Who is in? Who is out? Who do I want to see? Aging changes the focus for people, but the categorization rarely changes. Who is in my in-group? Who is in my out-group?
The words of Jesus cut right across this tendency. In Luke 14, Jesus begins by tearing apart the desire to be in the seat of honor of ‘important people.’ He then inverts this so that no one is off the hook. Instead of just talking about those moments when you are invited to a meal, Jesus speaks to the host of the meal he is attending and then teaches, by saying how when you are in the position of inviting others “_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. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind._”
For the churches of North America, the in-groups and out-groups are often as static as for individuals. The words of Jesus cut against those static assumptions and blind acceptance of status quo institutions, like jails and prisons. Jesus pushes for a radical dissolution of the in-group and out-group categories people use, and this push goes all the way to the institutional level. When society declares people ‘good’ or ‘bad’, this is contrary to the Good News of Jesus Christ. When churches acquiesce to such categories, we ignore the Good News of Jesus Christ. We lie to ourselves by seeking “important” places in society, and we lie by not inviting those whom Jesus calls us to invite to the table.
May we receive the words of Jesus with clear eyes. May we see how our institutions keep us from living the life God calls us to live. And may we work towards freeing our neighbors from such institutions and offering a true seat at the table.
Wilson Pruitt is a Methodist pastor and translator in Spicewood, TX.