In Acts 10, the Lord speaks to Peter. He lowers a picnic blanket from heaven with all sorts of animals on it and instructs Peter to kill and eat. Peter is horrified, having rigorously adhered to all the Jewish ceremonial food laws. But the Lord insists telling Peter not to call impure what he has called clean. Jesus is turning Peter’s world upside-down all over again, and he’s still using his table to do it. This vision is immediately connected to God bringing Peter to Cornelius, a god-fearing Roman centurion. And the light bulb switches on for Peter; Jesus’ table is scandalously inclusive. “Now I truly understand that God doesn’t show favoritism!” And in Acts 11, the whole church glorifies God saying, “So then, God has given repentance resulting in life even to the Gentiles!”
When you plan your meals and arrange your calendar, don’t call impure what God has called clean! He has given repentance that results in life to all types of people. Don’t let your table be more selective than the kingdom of God. Who is the person you would least likely suspect to be a candidate for belonging to Jesus? Invite them to dinner and see what God does. You are sitting at the table right now because he included us unlikely Gentiles.
