Wednesday, October 15, 2025
“You prepare a
feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head
with oil. My cup overflows with
blessings.” (Psalm 23:5, New
Living Translation)
We celebrated in the usual
fashion. Our family gathered for our
traditional Thanksgiving feast on Sunday. Ten adults and seven grandchildren
squeezed into our son’s home in Mississauga. We all pitched in by bringing something
to the meal. The turkey meal was
fantastic with all the trimmings.
Equally special was the joy and blessings of being together as a family. We are a loud and raucous group whenever we
get together. “I give you thanks, O Lord, with all my heart; I will sing
your praises before the gods.” (Psalm 138:1)
Mind you, none of this was
done in “the presence of my enemies.”
We were all
family, of course. Even better, we are all friends with each other. Why did the
David think that it was important to include the idea that God’s invitation to the
table was done in the presence of his enemies? I don’t think it was a just a
matter of gloating that he had it better than his foes. He had an invitation
and they didn’t it. Nyah. Nyah! Although I do think that he meant that despite
their animosity toward him, God’s blessing exceeded their hostility. Their
hatred could not stop’s God generosity and grace. No matter what these enemies felt about him,
God’s love was stronger than their enmity.
My response and influence come
from the New Testament, especially Jesus’ gracious words and actions. He did
not exclude anyone from his table. Time after time, he was seen eating with
anyone and everyone, even the most undesirable, the worst sinners, the outcast
and the so-called unworthy. He practiced what he preached. Remember the parable
of the banquet where the ones, supposedly friends, who were first invited found excuses not to
come. So instead, his told his servants,
“‘Go quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and invite the poor,
the crippled, the blind, and the lame… Go out into the country lanes and behind
the hedges and urge anyone you find to come, so that the house will be full.”
(Luke 14: 21, 23) In fact, the decliners were the ones who were on the outside
looking in on the feast. Throughout
Jesus’ ministry, he practiced inclusion and welcoming grace. His invitation to
the whole world was that all people could enjoy God’s generosity of Love and Mercy.
“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again.
Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” (John 6:35)
But where does this leave our so-called
enemies, the people that don’t like us, wish us harm, have no love for us? Is
there anywhere at the table for them? Jesus did say that we were to love our enemy. “You
have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I
say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will
be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5: 43 -45) We
see people differently when we share a meal together, as we talk, find common
things of interest, share about our families, open up about our thoughts and feelings.
With good food and good drink, we may come to realize that the “other” is not so
strange, not so alien, not so dangerous, not so evil as we first thought.
Perhaps, if some our world leaders shared a meal together instead of
making war together, they would find the peace they are so longingly desperate
for. But it also is true in our own
small corners of the world. A shared table becomes a peace zone where we put
down our defences and hatred and pick up knives and forks and pass the bread to
the one sitting across from us. “Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your
enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he’s thirsty, get him a drink.
Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don’t let evil get the best of
you; get the best of evil by doing good.” (Romans 12:20, The Message Bible)
May your days be full of good food, good people, good deeds, good
thoughts and good and bountiful living.
Dale
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