Arise...kill and eat...

lard
Originally uploaded by ericblauer.

Peter heard those words from the Lord and recoiled at first in disgust. He was a good jewish man who would never eat unclean animals. Yet, the vision and the voice was loud and clear...God was commanding him to eat something that he never had eaten.

Following God on mission requires us to go outside our comfort zones if we are truly going to follow Jesus to wherever and to whomever He might be sending us. Now for me...eating is a big deal. When it comes to comfort zones, I'm the worse when its centered around food. I'm picky, finicky, prissy, I have a high gag reflex and like everything I put in my mouth just my way. Sooooo, now we are working with 37 refugees from Burma and part of becoming friends and pastoring this group of people means...sharing home and food together. Here lies my missional problem...I'm a weenie when it comes to eating anything that even slightly falls in the category of raw, mushy, odd, odorous, squishy or fishy...and of course almost all Karen food shares these stomach gurgling qualities.

But what does one do, who is overcome with the hospitality and love being expressed in an offering of a home-cooked meal? What can you do but graciously try to step out of your comfort foods and dare to receive the gifts being offered. Oh...the cross is hard to bear when your appetites are being vexed by love. I have found that I like and even love some of the foods that have been shared with me. You will find rice, chicken and chile sauce in my house now because of the Karen people.

There is something deeply uniting when you share the dinner table with a family that is different than you. It really is an act of grace. It dignifies and honors the giver when you receive what they offer. It turns the relationship into a true friendship and changes ministry to life together. Ministry is good but it's often very colonial or one-sided. Sharing a meal brings everyone together.

I think that is why we celebrate our Lord around a table.