Feed Them

Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” [Luke 14.12-14]

How does one help the poor? Feed them.

Food is a basic life necessity. The poor often do not have the luxury of abundant food.

It is a God thing to feed the poor because God cares about them, starting at their most basic need - food.

I can say from experience, that some of the best relationship-building in my life has been over food. And, I confess, it has rarely been someone who could not 'pay me back.' How much more intense would be the relationships built - the opportunities to share faith in a genuinely relaxed setting - be to seek out those who could not return the favor.

Jesus seemed to offer some insight into how to reach the poor. Bring them in and feed them.

Father, help me to be more focused on ministering to the poor - not to point out that they are poor, but genuinely reach out to them as You have reached out to me.