You want to sell a kitchen table on Facebook Marketplace because you just bought a new one. You publish the pictures and the price. A buyer comes over, takes a look, and decides to go for it. He or she walks away with the table. You receive some cash. This feels completely normal. It’s called a transaction.
We know all about business. Everything has a dollar cost. We’ve noticed for a while now, though, that the “transaction” mindset can too easily bleed over into many people relationships where it doesn’t belong. Our world often runs on “what’s in it for me?” Transactional relationships dominate—from business networking to social media “likes,” to even friendships built on convenience. That shouldn’t feel normal, because it’s not.
If you invite someone to a meal who cannot pay you back, you’re acting beyond a transaction. It takes God-given humility. Jesus calls his disciples to give in a way that does nothing to advance their own status. In his day, banquets were often about reputation—whom you invited, whom you sat with, how it would reflect on you. Inviting the poor or crippled would not raise your standing. In fact, it might lower it.
Jesus does promise repayment “at the resurrection of the righteous.” But we have to be clear: this is not a transaction with God. We don’t earn eternal life by our generosity. Otherwise, it would fall back into the very mindset Jesus warns against. The resurrection is pure gift, given for the sake of Christ’s death and resurrection. Our acts of humble generosity flow from that grace. And that frees us to give without calculating, trusting God’s overflowing generosity toward us. Who could use a gift without cost from you?
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 14:13–14)