Invite the poor, crippled, lame and blind

Tuesday at Bible Study God clearly spoke to me again. We were in Luke 14, and had just gotten to the parable of the feast.

Luke 14:12 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, "When
you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or
your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return
and that will be your repayment.
Luke 14:13 "But when you give a reception, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind........

Suddenly God smacked me over the head. BAM!!!! I saw the answer to what has been troubling me about the church over the past several months.

Those of you who know me, realize that I have longed for a place to really dig deep into the Word and fellowship with other Christians. I yearn to openly discuss, question and dialogue about the richness of the Bible and the wonders of our God. I want to be with hungry people.

I have been increasingly disgruntled at not being able to find that place. I want to go deeper than a few verses, Sunday School answers and "self-help Christianity". I need to be with those who can be real and transparent about their struggles, yet who recognize that through the power of Him who lives within us, we can navigate the complexities of life. I want to be in an "iron-sharpens-iron" environment, where we can share the joy of peeling back the layers of God's Word and discover precious nuggets of truth together.

I have, in my despair, asked "Lord, do you not care that I have a place to grow....to refresh...to be in fellowship....and to find accountability? How can I lead others when I have no place to refill???"

But I have been looking in the wrong place.

"invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind..."

Yesterday I saw my city with fresh eyes. I live every day among the spiritually poor, crippled, lame and blind. I have very few in my world who are "seasoned" Christians, or who have ever had the opportunity to be discipled or to study the Word. Most of the people around me do not even have a personal relationship with Christ.

But if I get truly gut-level honest with myself, I don't really want to spend my time in the insulation of the church walls.

In this parable, it goes on to tell how the invited guests who already knew the host made excuses not to come. Unfortunately, they took their relationship with him for granted, and did not feel an urgency to come to the feast.

By contrast, those with great need were hungry. Coming to the table was a privilege for them, and they came with eagerness and excitement.

I immediately thought of Adam. One of my favorite things in the whole world is just to spend time talking with him. I love his questions. I love his depth. I love his childlike faith.

It is refreshing just to be around him. I can't explain how amazing it is to watch him share his faith on Wednesdays at the table. That kid is a walking sponge, and he is devouring the truth of the Word. In his one short year of being a Christian, he has reached a point where I now seek counsel from him, because his perspective is so fresh and spirit-driven.

I thought about how much of my life has been spent attending church-related events. While they have their merit, that's not where my heart lies. I want to feast and fellowship with the poor, crippled, lame and blind!!! How fun to be around people who recognize the invitation to the meal as a privilege, honor and blessing.

I realize that my calling is to invite the hungry to the table. And I believe through the power of the living, active Word of God, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, I can be refreshed in that environment while discipling others. I don't need to find a group of "seasoned" Christians. I need to begin serving those who may not even yet know Who they are looking for.

My perspective has changed today. I realize what a blessing it is to be on a campus where I have endless opportunities. I get to interact with those blinded by false religion, crippled by church abuse, and poor in spirit because they never had the opportunity to grow in their faith.

We live in a neighborhood and go to school with lost, hurting, poor souls longing for answers. I shop at a store, and eat at restaurants, and go to sporting events with people who are spiritually empty.

And what a refreshment my Bible Study is!!! I love the fact that there is a curiosity and innocence and freedom from pre-conceived "churchiology". This last week sincere questions were raised on everything from extreme unction to Katherine Kuhlman and Islam!!!

Lord, I thank you for the blessing of being able to freely feast on your Word. Thank you for our daily bread. Draw the hungry to your table, and let them find the satisfaction that only comes from knowing you.