Friday, November 15, 2013

"share your feast" holiday challenge 2013


This challenge has been heavy on my heart this season already. It started as a burden I felt two years ago, and though you may have seen it here before I want to share it all with you again!

It all started two years ago with these words of Jesus in Luke 14:12-14:
He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”
My friends, we are going to be holding feasts in the next few weeks. To us they are important, wonderful celebrations of joy and thankfulness. We have traditions of all kinds, more gifts given and received than any of us can count, and we love it. I love, love, love the holidays. Cool weather, warm fires, yummy foods, family, and all the fun things that come with the winter season- we have been given such wonderful gifts.


But for so many people, the holiday season may be much different. For the poor, it might be a reminder of what they don't have. For the disabled, the holidays might be a lonely time. For the bitter, it’s likely to be a time of misery. For some who are divorced or single, it can be a time of great sadness. For those who are grieving this year, it may be the hardest season they've ever experienced in their lives.

Many of the financially less fortunate may have a place they can go eat a warm Thanksgiving meal for free. But how many have a warm and happy home they can go to as well?

That's why I'm excited to bring you guys a challenge this season.

If you're in, you have the next several weeks to accomplish your mission.

Are you ready for it?

Invite someone you wouldn't normally invite to your feast this year.

Share your feast with someone who doesn't have a loving and living home.

It's really that simple.

I like to call it the “share your feast” holiday challenge.

Open your hands to the poor, your home to the needy. Be the hands of Jesus to them as you welcome them into your home this year.

Show them- show them the love of Jesus firsthand by loving them and welcoming them into your life. Money doesn't change people's lives. Free food doesn't change people's lives. Jesus does. And He wants to do it through us.

When we open our homes to the poor, the hurting, the lonely, the unkind, or even just someone who doesn't have anywhere to go- and welcome them into our lives with love, we are displaying the hope that is in us- seeing them like Jesus saw us all- broken, and in need of love and a Savior. He loves them and He loves us all the same. We are celebrating and sharing that when we invite others into our personal lives. It’s so simple, but I have a feeling it won’t be easy.

Will it be a little weird? I'm guessing it will be. It's not easy to change what we know, and inviting someone different than us may challenge our families and seem awkward at first. I feel like that is almost a sure thing.

We love the comfort of the familiar. But isn't that the most dangerous thing? Our comfort? This world is not our home- we have to be careful not to make life here more important than the life that is to come.

Imagine what can happen when we share the Gospel in person- when we give up our most precious holidays for someone else? What will that show them?

This is something anyone can do- no special skills or talents required, and that extra mouth can be fed at your table for very little. If your family dinners are like mine, you have more leftovers than you can stand to eat anyway!


Open your arms to someone who needs it this year- use the gifts you've been given to share the love of Jesus with others- this is what biblical homemaking is really about. It's about being the light in the darkness- the city on a hill- to those around you. Your home is your city- your ministry of hope in Christ. What a sweet opportunity to share what we've been given with others!

You can make a difference, even under the roof of your own home.

Love others. Welcome someone in with open arms this season. Or maybe at least just invite them! Just a simple invitation can open doors. Even if they don't come, they know you cared!

Will you take the challenge? Let's do it together! What do you say?

If you ask the Lord, I know He will provide a chance for you to do show love to someone over the next six weeks.

Leave me a comment if you want to “sign up” and try something new this holiday season. I will add your name to the bottom of this post {and I'll add your site if you are a blogger too}. Let's encourage and hold each other accountable in this adventure! :D

I can’t wait to see what our Father will do when we work in unity for His name! Oh, please, please pray for this, you guys- pray that His will be done and His glory will be made known among the people this season!

He can do it!! I'm so excited to see and hear what He will accomplish through you!!

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