Making the most of dinner

Over the last few months, I've been at a fair few dinners where the topic runs into pretty interesting, sometimes controversial topics.  This can include tithing (a term which refers to the voluntary discipline of regularly giving to the church, usually 10% or more of one's income) and the propensity of some churches to overemphasise the causal link between tithing and material prosperity, the church's stand on lesbian/gay/bisexual/transsexual (LGBT) issues, and recently, even the existence of ghosts and demons!

At each one of these dinners, I've found my non-Christian friends and colleagues to be generally forthright in their views.  In contrast, I find that Christians tend to be extremely reserved about their faith, and sometimes even in casual agreement with the non-Christian viewpoint.  In fact, it can be difficult to tell if they are Christian.  This is especially when the conversation starts to take on a not-so-gentle mocking of Christian beliefs.  Few Christians seem to see the need to refute such mocking.  I've certainly acted in this way myself.

I think this is partly because of Jesus' teaching that "Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.  Rejoice and be glad for your reward in heaven is great, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were born before you."  Matthew 5:11-12

This is absolutely true, and Jesus does also exhort us to turn the other cheek.  But here's where I think many of us get it wrong.  Look at the passage above again.  It says that the persecution came "for the sake of righteousness" and "in the same way they persecuted the prophets".  The persecution came because the prophets spoke up, in the name of righteousness.  So really, I don't think God gives us any credit when friends or colleagues insult God and we gently laugh along with them.

In fact, it is precisely when these so-called "sensitive" topics comes up, that Christians need to stand up for righteousness and speak the living truth.  God has created this situation for us.  Our friends, family and colleagues are living without the best thing in the world.  Instead, they live with confusion about who Jesus is, fear of the future, even fear of ghosts!  So God calls us to be the light of the world, a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, a lamp that is not put under a bowl, letting our light shine before all men, so that they may see our good deeds, and so glorify our Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16). 


God puts us in communities with our friends and our colleagues, not to impress them, but to bless them.  How can we bless them if we remain silent or worse, go along with their ways?  "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in?  And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard?  And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?  As it is written: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!""  Romans 10:14-15

Too many of us go to the office and to dinners and outings with family and friends, and no one knows you are a Christian, because there is no evidence that you are one, and because you are only a Christian (maybe even a good one) in your own Christian community.  For the avoidance of doubt - this is not a good thing. 

Stand up, speak truth.  It's not what we do on Sunday, but what we do during the rest of the week that really counts.  If we truly care for our friends, family and colleagues, it's time for more of us to start fulfilling the role of being the "beautiful feet who bring good news".  We do them no favours by hiding God from them.

Joel 3:14-15 says:
Multitudes, multitudes, in the valley of decision!
For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision.
The sun and moon will be darkened, and the stars ]no longer shine.
The LORD will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem;
The earth and the heavens will tremble.
But the LORD will be a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel.

There are multitudes in the valley of decision.  What will we ourselves choose?  What are we doing to help the multitudes in the darkened valley of decision?  It's ultimately their choice, but how do we help our loved ones to choose well?  It will be dark and awful at times, but God is our refuge and our stronghold.  Be strong, and very courageous!

So, coming back to making the most of dinner.  At each of these dinners where I've picked up the courage to speak up, I've tried to remember to represent our loving, merciful and gracious God by mirroring that love, mercy and grace, rather than through dogma or invective.  I don't know if I'm doing it right, but I'd rather try than sit quietly by.  Interestingly, when I speak up, suddenly the Christians at the table also gather their courage and slowly come to the surface too.  Today, your act of courage can encourage your brothers and sisters to do the same.  There are multitudes waiting to hear from you!

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