Gift or Business Transaction?
By Deacon Rod Knight
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus told a parable about those invited to a wedding banquet and taking seats of honor. In this same Gospel reading, Jesus teaches, “When you hold a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have your repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you.”
Is Jesus Christ against us gathering to break bread with our friends and family? Absolutely not. I assure you that Jesus is all about fellowship and loving one another.
In January of 1985, I was part of a military unit tasked to support perimeter security for President Ronald Reagan’s second presidential inauguration. There was severe cold weather, and the outdoor inauguration and parade were cancelled. I now had free time to take in and explore our capital. As my teammates and I took in the sights, we met an elderly woman lying on a subway grate trying to keep warm. I was cold but dressed appropriately and could go into businesses or restaurants as needed to warm up. The elderly woman was homeless and did not have that luxury. She also did not have any gloves. Obviously, her hands were discolored and cold. I had a very warm set of gloves, my favorite pair. I couldn’t help but think this could be my grandmother; she was someone’s grandmother. I gave her my gloves. I felt good as I stuck my hands in my jacket pockets.
A couple of days later, I saw the woman again on a different grate, trying to keep warm. She wasn’t wearing the gloves I gave her. Neither of us were wearing gloves. I became angry; the mocking of my friends wasn’t helping. I gave her gloves, and she should be wearing them. The reality is that the gloves were a gift from me to her. Once I gave them to her, they were no longer mine, and she could do whatever she wanted with them; they were hers. She may have traded them for food, may have sold them, or they may have been stolen. It doesn’t matter; I had put expectations on something I gave away, and there were strings attached.
I believe the point that Jesus is making is to give with your heart, not expecting anything in return. Do not give to feel better about yourself and elevate your status of self-proclaimed holiness. If you give something while expecting something in return, it is business, not charity. How unlike Christ was I! Humanity and our conditional love. What am I getting out of this? Ponder on all the gifts and graces God pours out on us. How do we use them? Are we grateful?
God’s unconditional love allows us, by our free will, to be poor stewards of His gifts, graces, and even His love. God never rejects us, never stops loving us. It is we who fail and reject Him. Take a few moments to thank God (every day). Pray we can give with charitable hearts and not count the cost. I wonder where all the gloves God has given me have gone.