When I served the Glenwood Church, one of the former members told me a story about when she used to go there back in the 1970s. One of the elders was Edwin Rasco. One evening he and his wife invited the young married couples over for supper. Back then, going over to an elder's house for supper was a really big deal. Sandy still talks about the invitation with reverence and awe.
Everyone arrived anticipating an uppity sit-down gathering filled with stimulating doctrinal discussion. Some people probably felt like they were going to the principal's office at school. Others probably went just wanting to get the night over with, undoubtedly dragged there by a spouse. Much to everyone's surprise, Kathleen served everyone peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and popsicles. She told the young couples about how important it was to spend time together, to talk, to listen to one another and get involved in each other's lives. She taught them that night about the value of not spending all of our time in preparing a big meal laid out on a fancy table. And most of all, they set the example that anyone can have friends over for supper, especially when the emphasis is on "friends," not on trying to impress or outdo one another.
I have been thinking about this all afternoon, especially since we started the fall semester of Women's Bible Study at Bering this morning. After class, we had a simple lunch in the fellowship hall. It was easily the best pimento cheese sandwich I have ever had. Could we have had a fancier meal? Sure. But the emphasis was on being together.
I wonder how many missed opportunities have passed us by simply out of fear of what others might think. I don't know if it's a southern thing, or a church thing, or a southern church thing. Whatever it is, it's a threadbare value that has no meaning in the kingdom of God. Jesus ate with some pretty rough characters. But they were rough characters who evidently saw the value in sitting at a table with Jesus. Never mind the formalities. Golden plates at the Pharisees' mansions could never compare to a table with Jesus in the poorhouse. Plus, I bet the peanut butter and jelly was downright heavenly.
