Jesus said also to the one who had invited him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, in case they may invite you in return, and you would be repaid.” – Luke 14:12

Every couple of weeks I have lunch with a good friend of mine. Early in our friendship we struck up a pattern of alternating who paid for lunch. So, about once a month I’d paid, and once a month she would take the check.

A few months ago we were both busy and we missed a few months worth of lunches. We were finally able to reschedule, but as I pulled up to the restaurant I realized I had no idea whose “turn” it was to pay for lunch. I tried to remember where we had gone and who had pulled out their wallet first, but I just couldn’t seem to place it.

My fear wasn’t that I would accidentally pay for a lunch I didn’t owe. My fear was that I wouldn’t pay my fair share.

Read the rest here: http://www.ucc.org/feed-your-spirit/daily-devotional/something-for-nothing-1.html