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[Jesus said] “But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

When we look at our neighbors, the people God has brought into our lives, we are not to see rich or poor, black or white, young or old, strong or weak, popular or unpopular. We are to see souls for whom Jesus died, souls that demand our attention and our service. So, we will want to serve them unselfishly, because that’s how Jesus served us.

This is not always a glorious task. Sometimes your work will go unnoticed. That brings us back to the question, “Why do we do it?”

Jesus has the final answer to the question. He says, “Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Heaven is our ultimate reward. This doesn’t mean that our humility somehow earns us a spot in heaven. That’s already been won for us by Jesus. It does mean: Why worry about receiving the accolades and all the glory in this life? Thanks to the entry fee Jesus paid on the cross, you have a place at the heavenly banquet! You have Jesus’ promise that you will participate in the resurrection of the righteous.

And what a resurrection we look forward to! On that day, when we finally see God face to face, he will exalt us—he will usher us into his heavenly halls and seat us at his table. We will dwell in the house of the Lord forever!

Knowing that this day is coming and that you have a place of honor at God’s table reserved for you, conduct yourselves among the people of this world with a humble attitude and with unselfish actions that will serve to invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind—EVERYONE! —to enjoy God’s heavenly banquet. You—and they—will be blessed.

Lord Jesus, how can I ever thank you enough for the undeserved reward awaiting me in heaven? Bless me as I live to show my thanks to you by serving my neighbor in humility. Amen.

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All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc. ™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.