I have been reading the Gospels and I have started to notice something. A lot of Jesus’ life revolved around food. Whether he was eating with people, feeding people, or talking about food-it consumed a lot of His time. It was part of the community Christ lived in and developed. One of sharing and talking and learning around the idea of food.
Food is an interesting thing. It has this incredible ability to bring together body, soul, and mind through its smells, textures, and designs. There is nothing quite like sharing a meal together. It is a sort of liberating activity in which all groups of people can meet on common ground to enjoy something. I am sure there are far fewer arguments started over food than there are over religion or politics. Yet, so often we do not share our food or our lives with those around us. We keep to ourselves and our habits. We may have dinner with others, but always the same others. I have close friends-I get that. But when does it go from having close friends we enjoy to having an exclusive “group” that you just don’t mess with?
This leads me to Thanksgiving. This year I will spend my Thanksgiving on my small island 7000 miles from home. It has proven to be a frustrating event in my life. It shouldn’t be. And I suppose it really just brings to the surface an underlying frustration I have had. Why can’t we just all spend Thanksgiving together? It’s amazing how divided a group of people can get. It happens all the time. No matter where we are, its in our nature to gravitate towards people we get along with. I certainly do it too. Unfortunately, that is not in God’s nature. The more I study and read Christ’s words, the more I find that our divided, segregated groups look very much like the Pharisees Christ so often condemned. They are comprised of like-minded people that generally get along. We tend to snub those who aren’t in our group because, well, its just easier. And for me, realizing I am equally part of the problem, the biggest frustration is how to fix it. How do you get back to a place of inclusion, not seclusion? How do we shift our thinking from comfortable to Godly? How do we love those in our lives that just seem to always rub us the wrong way? How do we stop making excuses? And how do we show the world that we are truly different when we look so much like them?
I don’t know the answers. I know something needs to change. I know the system and the rules need to change. And most importantly, I know that I need to change. So I guess that’s where it starts. Perhaps each of us need to step back and evaluate-do we consistently spend time with the same few people or are we constantly inviting others and including those around us? Are we content with comfortable? Are we making excuses? Are we failing to see the people around us as children of God and members or potential members of His family?
It is going to be hard. It will be humbling. It may be uncomfortable. It should be normal.
