Meal-View

This weekend Pastor Doug Melder taught at North Way Christian Community about a concept that he called "meal-view." In Acts Chapter 11, several of Peter's friends confront him for sharing a meal with uncircumsized people. Jesus often shared meals with people who were not Jewish, scandalous people even, for the sake of advancing the Kingdom of God. Jesus was often criticized by "religous" people for those meals that he shared. There must be something more to sharing a meal than the dangers of simple hospitality. When we invite people into our homes, when we share meals with people, and when we go out of our way to build relationships with people we do not know, then we are actually dramatically advancing the Kingdom of God. Great conversations can be had over meals. We have the opportunity to go deeper with people over meals. For the sake of following Christ, we should all develop a healthy "meal-view."

As basic as this concept seems, many Christians in America really miss the mark. In our society, private Christianity is celebrated. We lift up individuals and often struggle greatly with authentic community. The struggles are apparent within the Christian community, and magnified even more when it comes to sharing meals or building relationships with people who are different than us. We can comfortably arrange our lifestyles so that we do not ever have to share a meal or even come into much contact with people who are not Christians, or the poor, or people who are culturally distant from us. We fill our heads and our time with books and articles and talk radio and TV shows that only serve to reinforce our own limited worldviews while we sacrifice the joy that can be found in stretching and expanding our worldviews for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The biggest indicator that we have about whether or not we are living out authentic Christian community in the stream of God's mission to reach the lost is to take a good look at who we share meals with. I definitely have not "arrived" when it comes to sharing meals in my house, but I know that I am making some good progress in this area. At my dining room table, I have shared meals with good friends, family, my neighbors, Christians, nonChristians, drug dealers, prostitutes, homeless people, single mothers, small group members, pastors, Muslims, wealthy businessmen, and many poor people. I eat frequently with people who are much different than me racially, socioeconomically, and culturally. Every single time I do that I learn more about the world and how God might be able to work through me to advance his Kingdom. If our tables are not frequently known by strangers and people who are different than us, then we fall far short of what God is asking us to do as followers of Jesus. I know I am working on my own limited meal-view. How about you? Who do you share meals with? Do poor and marginalized people know your table, and know it well? Do people who are far from God, and even people who you might consider to be enemies know your table, and know it well? Or is your table only known by family members and close Christian friends? The answer might just be a good determination of whether you are living out God's purposes or not.