Never Underestimate The Power Of The Table
Have you experienced a memorable and sacred moment around the table? A time where you connected with others and shared an authentic, heartfelt encounter?
Michael Frost attests there are certain environments where the imagined veil that separates heaven from earth is thin. He explains: “The Celts and their speaking of thin places where the fabric that separates heaven and earth is so thin it becomes almost translucent and one is able to encounter the joy and peace of heaven.”
In response to this stunning imagery Theologian Barry Jones said, “For me, the veil is thin when I'm seated at the table with good food and cherished friends.”
These gatherings don’t seem on the outset to be a special occasion, and yet because of those around the table, the veil between heaven and earth is thin. Something from God breaks into these experiences, and not necessarily because someone says a prayer or offers a Scripture, but because something divine occurred in that fellowship. God uses these thin veil experiences at the table to change us.
We all have to find ways to practice the power of the table even with our current reality of social distancing, and even virtually when necessary. We must find ways to do this because the principle is so incredibly important.
Let’s explore 3 powerful ways the table is used to transform lives.
1. The table secures and bonds us.
In the Atlantic, sociologist Cody C. Delistraty explored the most recent scientific literature regarding the impact of the family dinner table. What he discovered about this simple act of breaking bread together is humbling and powerful.
The single most important element in raising kids who are drug free, healthy, intelligent, kind human beings is frequent family dinners.
Data tells us that regularly sitting down together at the table is also the most important predictor of success for elementary aged children.
The primary factor in shaping vocabulary for younger children is frequent family dinners.
The key variable associated most with a lower incidence of depressive and suicidal thoughts among the 11 to 18 year olds is frequent family dinners.
Other variables excluded (including the menu, some might be relieved to hear), the act of sitting around the table together has transformative power. I would suggest there’s something quasi-sacramental about the experience and the benefits don’t have to be limited to families. We can foster security and bond with others when we sit shoulder-to-shoulder and share a meal with any motley crew of individuals.
2. The table was used by Jesus to connect and influence.
Jesus understood the power of the table. As New Testament scholar N.T. Wright wrote, when Jesus himself wanted to explain to his disciples what his forthcoming death was all about, he didn't give them a theory: he gave them a meal.
Everywhere I look in the Scriptures I see Jesus leading in a hospitable context, from his miracle at the wedding in Cana to his frequent attendance at dinner parties.
But it wasn’t just about sitting down to partake in a meal. Jesus never underestimated the power of who was at the table. He sat at any and every table to which he was invited, regardless of those in attendance. He didn’t consider their history or position, nor their habits or convictions. He just gathered around the table, welcoming those who’d never been welcomed at tables before. From women to those who’d been ostracized for their sins, Jesus leveled the playing field by breaking bread with a variety of groups in the 1st century society.
Let us not overlook his leadership acumen: the disarming gesture of hospitality not only brought on transformation, but also increased the number of people on mission with him. A good leader knows that an empty seat at the table is a missed opportunity to influence and gather individuals.
3. The table can be a tool for understanding and peace.
I watch some of what passes for debate in our nation today and I sometimes think, I wish you would take each other out to dinner. I read articles in which one Christian leader criticizes another for this or that reason and I think, I wish you guys would spend more time together. Do you see teams at work or groups in your church who are at odds? I see people disagreeing and think, I wish they would do lunch together more often. We could get so much more done if we would be hospitable to one another in spite of our differences. We don’t have to agree on the details, but we can major on the majors and accomplish a mission greater than the sum of our concerns (and disagreements).
I hope you’re hungry for a thin veil experience. Taking a cue from Jesus, gather a mix of people around your table, never underestimating its power to create a harvest of security, understanding and peace.
Let’s make this happen. Through a table gathering or through an attitude of hospitality in everyday moments, we can insist on creating hospitable environments that unleash the potential in people from all kinds of backgrounds to work together to accomplish something great.