Come to the table...

Rejected. Turned away. Left out. Secluded. Denied. Disapproved. Disallowed. Excluded. Refused. Ignored. Declined. Unaccepted. Repelled. Rebuffed.

No matter how you put it, none of these are desirable for anyone. Often, this type of seclusion is disguised as justifiable. People reject others because they cannot be seen with someone with a past or history such as that. Others are rejected because they are simply not on “the same level” as a given person. Some are just left out because they are not part of a certain group. Statements are used like, “It’s because of what you did,” “It’s just who we are,” “I cannot be seen with someone like you,” “you just don’t fit in,” and so many other ridiculous and ludicrous excuses. None of which are acceptable. Sometimes, there is no excuse or explanation given at all. A person is just not accepted and is even viewed or treated like they are invisible. Sometimes it is from strangers or acquaintances and sometimes it is from those you love the most. This hurts at a depth that cannot be explained.

On the complete opposite side are those who are rejected. So often you will find that these people will respond with the same luxury they were granted. They turn away from others. They view all of society as treacherous human beings who have no heart of compassion or forgiveness and in turn, bury themselves deeper into isolation. They view all people negatively and see no reason to interact with others. It breeds more hate and anger in their hearts and almost always there is no escape for them and the dark path they are on.

Then there are those who do not sit on either side. These people value everyone. They do not look at the surface or the circumstance. They look at the heart and possess a deeper desire for others. They want to know others, help others, and include others. They welcome, invite, embrace, involve, take in, accept, openly receive, recognize, approve, find favor.

The question now is which one are you?

Looking back at my past, I worked so hard for acceptance. I wanted to belong. I saw the “desirable” groups and wanted so badly to be included. I never was allowed to be a real part of that crew. When I grew up and even went to work, I still tried so very hard to be looked on with favor and openly received so I stayed involved and worked extremely hard at my job. I excelled and stood out as responsible, dependable, a “go-to-girl.” Even in all of this, I was still not “one of them” or good enough. Never. No matter what I did. It just was not enough. All it took was me stumbling, breaking, crashing to see where I really stood with those people.

The beauty in all of this is that I stand in the present evaluating “others” and realize those who were part of the rejecting crew and part of the accepting crew. Only a small handful of people have disregarded my existence or share only a casual and false greeting when we pass in the store or on the street somewhere. The most ironic thing about this is that “those people” are the ones who are most boastful about being upstanding and honorable people in the community. They are the ones who claim to have open arms for all and who profess with the mouth that they have love, compassion and forgiveness. BUT…there is always a but; only if you fit their standard; only if what you’ve done is not too bad or is considered acceptable; only if you go to the right church or the right school or belong to the right organizations.

This is not a new concept. We can read in the Bible where even those closest to Jesus, His own disciples, the ones who walked with Him and had the honor of sitting in His presence and under His direct teaching, even they frowned upon Him for welcoming the broken, the little children, and the least of these to His table. They viewed the world with fleshly eyes and only saw certain ones as acceptable of God's love and mercy. Praise God today that the disciples were wrong in their thoughts of who is chosen and that so are those today who view the world with the same eyes.

Please do not misinterpret or misunderstand my words. I am in no way judging or bashing anyone. I am simply acknowledging that I am thankful for God allowing me to fall so that I would finally grasp reality after all of these years. I have finally come to see the truth in life and in people.

Most importantly, my eyes have been opened to the true, unconditional love of my Lord and Savior and of His people. My goal is to share this realization with you, the broken ones, the true ones, the ones who want to reach out to a lost and dying world, the ones who see with eyes of compassion, the ones who love like Jesus.

I want you to see how beautiful you are, how important you are and how valuable your witness is to those you encounter. I want you to know that you do not have to strive to be like the elite or the ones in higher positions. You should not have to work for acceptance, and you most definitely should not have to work for love.

Christ loves you enough that He died for you and continues to love you through all of your faults, failures, and insecurities. He invites you to come sit at His table every day and welcomes you no matter where you are. He will meet you and love you. He will help you heal, help you grow, and help you become who His Father created you to be. There are also people in this world who would love for you to join them at the table as well. They won’t care if you are rags or riches. They won’t care if you have messed up because they will share with you their own story of imperfection and defeat, but they will also share with you the story of redemption and grace.

For those people that God has surrounded me with, I am so indescribably thankful. For we are all sinners, but we are sinners saved by grace and wrapped in the arms of the One who sees us all as enough.

That is why I am writing today. I want you to come sit at the table with me, with the Savior.

He invites me every day, and I am inviting you.

All of you.

Those of you who have shunned, disowned or coldly greeted others after you used to share warm sentiments.

Those of you who are broken, who are hurting, please come sit at the table with us too.

If you are physically imperfect, socially imperfect, or just imperfect, please come find a seat.

Those of you who have made choices that are viewed as unpopular or who have made a mess in life.

It’s okay. I want you to join us as well.

No judgement. No sarcasm. Nothing but love, compassion, forgiveness.

You ALL are welcome here.

My prayer for you today is that you will realize that you are welcome at His table and that you will never feel left out, rejected, or unloved again. I pray that you will come to His saving grace and embrace His acceptance so that you, too, might begin to live a life, full and overflowing with love and compassion. My prayer is that your eyes are opened to all that the Savior has to offer and that it is way more valuable than any of man’s opinions.

For those who are guilty of rejecting and turning others away from your table, my prayer for you is that you, too, will have open eyes, but more importantly an open heart. I pray you realize that this world is already full of enough hate and anger and that instead of sharing a cold exchange or ridiculing other people’s choices, that instead you reach out and use your influence and your position for good, for love, to help and to heal. I pray you too will come sit at the table with the Savior so that you might feel His compassion and forgiveness and that you might learn to give that away instead.

For there is no respect of persons with God. Romans 2:11 KJV

Come now, just as you are, and sit with us. You are welcome here.

May your cup runneth over.