Making Room at the Table for Someone New
You can picture the people who usually gather around your table. The familiar stories, the easy conversation, the person who knows where the cups are kept.
There is goodness in that familiarity. Jesus also invites us to consider who could be welcomed into it.
Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.
(Luke 14:14, NIV, excerpt)
In Luke 14, Jesus challenges a host to invite people living with poverty and disability, people overlooked by a system of invitations and repayment. He directs the host's attention toward God's future reward and a generosity that seeks another person's good.
Begin with an ordinary invitation
You might invite someone from church who is new to the area, a neighbor you would like to know, or a person who often eats alone. Ask rather than assume what they would enjoy. A meal, tea, or a shared snack may be a comfortable beginning.
Keep the invitation clear and easy to decline. Ask about food needs and anything that would make the visit more accessible. Let your guest come as a person to know, with stories, gifts, and preferences of their own.
The table can be simple. What makes the invitation meaningful is the room you make in your attention and your life.
A prayer
Jesus, widen my welcome. Help me notice whom I overlook and receive others with joy. Teach me to give freely and to honor the people You bring near. Amen.
Read Luke 14:12-14 in the NIV.
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A welcoming table begins with making room for another person.
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