We’ve all had company come over to the house. We get out the best silverware and the best throw pillows. Think about during a holiday and how much cleanup and work goes into getting the house ready for people to come over.
How would your preparations be different if you heard that a family was coming over that were former criminals? Most likely, you wouldn’t put too much effort in your dinner.
But what would you do if Jesus was coming over to your house? Would you get out the old leftovers from last week and heat them up in the microwave for him? Of course not, you would get out your very best food and make your famous apple pie.
Every person that we invite into our lives is like inviting Jesus over to our house. No matter what position of life your visitors are, they deserve the very best.
What does the Bible have to say about this? Jesus’ words were always focused on treating people with dignity and respect. Even people that our society looks down on- Jesus would have invited them over for dinner and fellowshipped with them
Jesus tells a parable about a king that comes back to visit his kingdom. He comes to separate the wicked from the righteous. The religious leaders always thought that they were the ones in the center of God‘s favor. But Jesus was constantly chastising them for their lack of mercy and compassion toward outsiders- those on the fringes of society.
“For I was hungry and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty and you gave Me something to drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you took care of Me; I was in prison and you visited Me.’ “Then the righteous will answer Him, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You something to drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or without clothes and clothe You?
“And the King will answer them, ‘I assure you: Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me.’”
Matthew 25:35-38, 40
You see- we can talk all the right ways, and look all the right ways- but we can miss the very heart of Jesus with our actions and thoughts. I challenge you this week to invite someone over to your house and break bread with someone that you normally wouldn’t hang out with. Get to know them as people and invite them into your life. Jesus‘s ministry was solely focused on helping the hurting and going after “the one” that was far from Him.