Lunch

For ever so long I have balked at an invitation from friends to go to lunch. Exceptions every once in a while but generally my answer was no but thanks. And eventually friends quit asking. The reasons, I have now realized had everything to do with my personal interests, leaving nothing to do with fellowship. There was a verse read in Sunday school this week which has gotten me to reevaluate the whole eating deal.

Luke 15:2
But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, "This man welcomes sinners and eats with them."

It made me think a minute about Jesus...why was the eating deal so important? It was one thing to welcome but quite another to sit with them and eat. Well, I am one of those "sinners", and each day Jesus still comes to sit with me at my table. I have learned over the years that the eating thing has everything to do with relationships, just looking at family meals, so why have I not incorporated this in my lunch invitations. Just not too smart I guess. Think a minute about how many times there have been great discussions and decisions made in the kitchen or in the dining room or at a table where food is being served. It is the gathering place. The place where informal conversation is generated and ideas are tossed about and truths are told and stories shared. Jesus was never too busy dealing with his own agenda that he didn't have time or make time for people. Oh wait people were his main agenda. He took time to make time to be a part of other peoples lives.
This was his main interest in life. He knew them intimately but they did not know him. The only way to get to know someone is to spend time with them and he knew he had much to offer to the lives that he had created. He knew that if he could establish a relationship, based on his love and concern and understanding of that one person, it would then be that he would develop a respect and platform to show them that he could be trusted, he could be depended upon, and that he would be available to be a helper and a rock of stability at all times for all situations.

It is all about the relationship. That was his foremost objective and the rest would follow. When any of us takes time to be with someone else and listen and show concern for who they are, we are doing just as Jesus would have us do. And how often to we have that opportunity with meals. Lots! Some we take and some we forgo. Sitting with someone and eating with them is a way of temporarily putting the worldly distractions aside, and concentrating on a relationship.

Eating is a time of fellowship, getting to know the ones you are with. It can be a dinner, a lunch, a cup of coffee, or an ice cream cone....but when you are eating together, you are fellow-shipping together, and the seeds of a relationship which are driven and generated by God himself will be nurtured according to his own purposes.
Can you seriously imagine casually sitting down next to Jesus, comfortably dressed in your flip flops, and talking about your concerns, your dreams, your failures, your heartbreaks etc. and then having him respond to you in gracious wisdom and ultimate authority over all that is before you. Or maybe we would be too overwhelmed in awe to even speak at all and all we could do would be to watch and listen. I Just think of Jesus' approach to so many that he came into contact with on his traveled roads.He was always approachable...in spite of his majestic position.

It seems like kind of a funny comparison but eating with others makes us approachable....something about the shared table, the common bond of food, that comes from a common need for nourishment....to our bodies and our soul. Physical nourishment keep our bodies fueled but it is the soulful nourishment of a relationships that keeps our spirits fueled. Relationships with others is indeed a blessing ....but a well fueled relationship with Christ is the real soul food.

Matthew 9:10
While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and sinners came and ate with him and his disciples

Matthew 14:19-21 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.

Matthew 15:37- 38 They all ate and were satisfied. Afterward the disciples picked up seven basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over. The number of those who ate was four thousand men, besides women and children.

Acts 10:40-42 but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen-by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead.



I will rethink lunch...and also know that time spent with others, be it eating or walking or visiting develops a relationship that Christ will ultimately have his hand on and in. Who have you invited to sit at your table? And who has invited you to sit at theirs?



Dear Lord, As I write this, I consider the fact that we are sinners just as the Pharisees accused the tax collectors of being and yet you do still sit at each of our tables. You are the unseen guest and quiet listener to all our conversations. Having you in our midst and at our table is an honor that we often take for granted...may we be reminded to take time to fellowship, and eat the food that is before us as well as to partake in your spiritual food that about us. Amen

Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!