I am included

At the end of June, I will go to Norway and be part of the congress. This will be a ‘different’ congress, and I look forward to it. In particular, I look forward to the 'long table' that will be placed in the main street. Places as the table are open to everyone. Whosoever will may sit down, share the food and the fellowship. There is something divine about the sharing around the table. The Norwegian poet, Trygve Skaug, has captured this in a beautiful way in his short reflection which was posted on Maundy Thursday (1):

Then he took my heart
just after the supper
gave thanks
blessed the heart and said
this is my heart
that will beat and burn
for all those who did not believe
that there’s space for them
here at the table
come for everything is finished
come it's here you belong

This simple verse illustrates the content of General Peddle’s “Call to Inclusion” (2) in a great way. To include people is a heart matter. We can write it in our mission-statements, we can preach it from our pulpits, we can set a table in the main street, but people who feel that they are on the ‘outside’, will know if it comes from the heart. Like compassion, inclusion comes with a price – Jesus defined the price in his ‘new’ commandment:

As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
John 13:34b

‘Manna’ for today

As Jesus has included me, I should include others

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(1) Luke 22:7-20
(2) A Call to Inclusion: We must be beyond reproach in treating all people with respect and compassion, remembering our mission to meet human needs in Christ’s name without any discrimination.

* Illustration - 'Place at the table' in the street