Upending Endless Consumption
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. 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.” – Luke 14:12-14, NIV
“Jesus’ message overturns such preoccupations, presenting “the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind” – notable examples of those relegated to low status, marginalized according to normal cannons of status honor in the Mediterranean world- as persons to be numbered among one’s table intimates and, by analogy, among the people of God.” – Joel B. Green
In studying Luke 14, one of the underlying issues that comes to the forefront is that of endless consumption. Whether it be the way the man with dropsy’s body used water or the constant attempt of the Pharisees to climb the social/honor ladder of their culture by using their influence to gain more influence. And while it can seem like someone else’s problem, if we are honest, it is probably our problem. Greed is not just about money. Our need for more seems to creep into almost any category of life (health, food, exercise, work, social media, friendships, streaming…).
And here is where, we can use this season and one of its rhythms to help us combat a besetting sin of our age- GREED. Lent is often been a season where Christians will lay aside something purposefully (fasting) in order to declare, “Jesus is best.” While sadly this has turned into strange things- like someone fasting meat but eating fish on Fridays, it doesn’t have to be so unhelpfully implemented. What if, we listened to the Holy Spirit speak to us about one matter where over consumption or endless consumption has begun its awful restlessness in our souls? And, what if, upon hearing from Him, we determined to take this Lenten season and fast in a meaningful way from whatever that is? I have a feeling, it could change us deeply. So, that’s my challenge- in a culture full of endless consumption, let’s practice resistance by entering into a season of purposeful depravation.
Questions for discussion/life application:
· What area of life does the Holy Spirit seem to be directing you to? What will it look like to purposefully deprive yourself in that area?
· When in the past has fasting helped you grow? How did it change you?
· How will you stay accountable in your fast?
· How will you ‘break’ your fast and what will you do post Easter to keep from falling back into an endless consumption cycle (greed)?