Can’t Repay
11 For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” 12 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. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”
Luke 14:11-14 NLT
These verses come from a section of Scripture where Jesus is teaching on humility, reminding us that we should not seek to exalt ourselves in order to be seen by others.
Jesus then seems to call out his host for putting on banquets and only inviting people close to him, and rich neighbors. In context it seems the host did this as a means to exalt himself in the eyes of his guests, with expectation of them reciprocating similarly in the future; which is common. However Jesus tells the host to invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind instead; individuals who could not repay the generosity. But then assured his host that by doing so God would provide a "heavenly" reward.
his reminds me of Luke 5:30-31 NLT, "But the Pharisees and their teachers of religious law complained bitterly to Jesus’ disciples, “Why do you eat and drink with such scum?” Jesus answered them, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do."
As Christians we are called to use our money and resources not only for ourselves, family, and friends; but also for those that are less fortune.