At The Master's Table

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Following is a parable about God's children in the dining room. It's just a little tidbit, but provides a gentle nudge and nourishment to us all as we daily gather at the Master's table.

As we are seated, we come to realize that there are seated, in front of us and at either side, children of the Living God who are hungry like we are. How we respond to this mutual hunger will tell us much about how far we have come in Christ Jesus.

Heavenly Father, we take this food we're about to receive in Jesus' name. Amen.

Hot off the stove.

Enjoy, dear brethren.

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A righteous man was praying one day when he asked our Lord a question.

"Lord, can You show me what You see when You look at God's people, and what You would like to see when You look at us?"

Our Lord led the righteous man to two doors. He opened one of the doors and the righteous man looked in.

In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the middle of the table was a large pot of stew which smelled delicious and made the righteous man's mouth water. The people sitting around the table were thin and sickly. They appeared to be famished.

They were holding spoons with very long handles that were strapped to their arms. Each person there found it possible to reach into the pot of stew and take a spoonful, but because the handle was longer than their arms, they could not get the spoons back into their mouths.

The righteous man shuddered at the sight of their misery and suffering.

Our Lord said to the righteous man, "You have seen what I sometimes see when I look at God's people."

They went to the next room and opened the door.

It was exactly the same as the first one. There was the large round table with
the large pot of stew which made the righteous man's mouth water.

The people were equipped with the same long-handled spoons, but here the people were well nourished and plump, laughing and talking.

The righteous man said, "I don't understand, Lord. Why is this vision of God‘s children so different?

"It is simple," said our Lord.

"The people in the second room have acquired but one characteristic of Mine. You can see it and hear it and feel it in them, and I can, too.“

“This is what I long to see in God’s children; children who have learned to feed each other.”