Trapped on the Toilet Table? God Has Turned the Tables for You!Sample

The Adjustable & King David's Table

Since turning forty, my ads on social media seem to almost exclusively be featuring a company who are relentlessly trying to sell me products such as the ‘mighty mop’, the ‘bin booster’, and my personal favourite - 'the adjustable’. The wonder that is 'the adjustable’, is a table which you can adapt to fit your own needs. You can make it higher or lower to work for you wherever you are sitting - in bed, on the couch, or in your favourite armchair. It can be adjusted to be the perfect height for your personal 'sit’uation! I like this table because it highlights that there’s not one size of table that fits all. The downfall of 'the adjustable' is that it only accommodates dinner for one. There’s no communal feasting and celebration around 'the adjustable’.

In comparison, God’s table is infinitely long. It’s inclusive, there’s a seat for everyone, and all individual needs are catered for. Many people in this world feel that their needs are just not considered - accessibility is a big issue, and for some people, having a seat at a table is a complicated and discouraging issue. I work with deaf people, and one huge barrier they face is something called ‘dinner-table syndrome’. This means that they miss out on most, if not all of the conversation, as no one else around the table shares their language. They try to lip-read conversations but miss most of it and therefore feel isolated and excluded. Even in their own family homes, many deaf people have grown up feeling like they don’t fit in around their table.

There’s a story in the Bible about a man named Mephibosheth. He was dropped by a nurse as a child and as a result, he became lame in both feet. King David shows him great kindness by giving him a place at his table. Mephibosheth ate at the king's table ‘like one of the king's sons’. I believe that King David’s table is a strong reflection of God’s table. It’s a table of kindness and inclusion, especially for those who face barriers in life because of various disabilities or challenges. King David’s table should serve as a challenge for us to include others at our tables - to show kindness, and acceptance, and to make adjustments for other people’s needs and differences.

Challenge

Invite someone different from you to share a meal at your table and make the necessary adjustments to include them as fully as possible.