Dinner Table Conversations
I remember as a young boy looking forward to eating dinner with our family after school at the kitchen table. Mom always cooked something delicious that our family enjoyed. Our dinner table was a small oval shape that four people could sit comfortable but close. At the dinner table, our parents might offer an encouraging word or preach to us about doing better in school. A lot of personal struggles or issues we faced as kids were discussed at the dinner table. After dinner was finished, you just felt better about everything going on in your life. Everyone sitting together made you feel closer as a family no matter our differences or agreements. Those conversations were helpful because you had your parents’ undivided attention. We cried, laughed, loved, joked, listened, argued, spoke, and were taught good manners at the dinner table. My older brother and I learned important life lessons from our parents having those important conversations. Our kids today have hopefully learned those same lessons we learned at the dinner table.
As technology progressed in the mid 80s, my dad purchased cable TV. We started moving our dinners into the living room being entertained by our favorite sitcom or sporting event. There were short conversations during commercial breaks but no conversations during the show. It felt different eating in that living room because it wasn’t as intimate as the dinner table. You didn’t feel that sense of togetherness as a family. We were still a happy family, but we didn’t know as much about day to day lives as we did at the dinner table. My wife and I have carried on dinner table conversations with our own family over the years.
In today’s sermon, the primary role of the servant is to pay special attention to the "weary," those who are in desperate need of a word of encouragement and support, those perhaps on the margins of society who are neglected and are in danger of being forgotten. This role of listener and right speaker is given to the servant "morning by morning, morning after morning," again and again. From this role, the servant refused to waver, was "not rebellious, did not turn backwards.” The servant was committed to the task.
We are called to be servants to all God’s children.
The sermon asks us to listen to God’s voice even in the face of opposition or persecution.
We serve God and others through actions and words. It might be showing kindness and compassion to strangers we have never met. It could be a simple fist bump in the hallway with a student or greeting colleagues at work asking how their day is going. Those table conversations might happen in the cafeteria where we gather everyday as a community. It’s using our talents and abilities that God provides us to serve those you may encounter at your dinner table.
We are called to spread God’s love in different ways. People can use social media in a positive way by reaching a bigger audience. That might be spreading messages to your followers about scriptures or biblical quotes. But let’s not forget the importance of those face to face conversations that allow us to feel others’ pain while encouraging and serving through the grace of God.
During this Lenten season, my goal is to find those dinner table conversations with others. I ask God for the strength and knowledge to open my eyes and ears to those I may have trouble seeing.
Author: Brandon Hickman, Athletics
thank you! i used this well
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