Highways and Hedges

 

But he [Jesus] said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” (Luke 14:16-24 ESV).

 

I enjoy writing about the lavish grace of God. Today’s reading focuses our attention on the recipients of that grace. The incredible truth is that God loves even those whom no one else would consider. The parable of our reading shows us the incredibly poor choice of those invited to the great feast replied declining the invitation with flimsy excuses. They were more concerned about their own affairs than about honoring the invitation of their friend and attending his special banquet. So, the master of the banquet sends his servants out into the “highways and hedges” to invite others to come. These were the places where the poor and helpless were gathered. Today these places would be the locations where we’d find the homeless and disenfranchised.

 

I’ve never been homeless or disenfranchised. In fact, I might easily fall into the category of “privileged.” Truthfully, most of us can be placed in that category. It makes me wonder how many of us with all of our privilege and bounty have just become too busy to accept the invitation of God to His banquet? This is not so much a question about redemption as it is a question about our focus and priority. Often I find it easy to set my own agenda and neglect what the Holy Spirit is telling me.

 

Thankfully God continually invites more guests until his feast is fully attended. God searches the city streets and the alleys, where the displaced and the drifters live. Then he heads out to the country lanes to invite those who are further displaced and disadvantaged. No one is left uninvited except those who cross out their own names. Don’t cross your name off through neglect.