Honor at the Table
To be asked to sit at the king’s table would be a great honor. There are some who dream of being invited to dine with the President of the United States; or some other person of power or influence. For me, moments of great opportunity are gift-wrapped inside small boxes of unexpected significance.
Jeremiah came to live with us a number of years ago at the age of 16. His father had just passed away from complications of diabetes, and I gave his dad my word that I would care for him.
Jeremiah had been a member of our youth ministry for a few years, and in that time we had grown quite close. After the funeral, we went to his house, packed his things, and Jeremiah became a member of our family.
I will never forget the first night he spent with us. Having dinner together as a family, and doing so at the dinner table, is a significant part of our life together. This is a sacred time for us, and we seldom allow any disturbances or interruptions. There are no phone calls, no computers, no television on, and no radio playing.
There is just the family, food, and conversation. That first night Jeremiah was with us…he joined us at the dinner table to eat.
I remember him just sitting there for a long period of time staring at his plate with his head down. Much to my dismay, he seemed to be getting a little stressed. I asked him if everything was alright, and his response was unexpected. “I don’t know to do this” he said. “You don’t know how to do what?” I asked him. “I don’t know how to do this…sit at a table and eat as a family” he said. “I’ve never done this before!”
I remember listening as he shared that he had always just sat on the couch, in front of the TV, often by himself, and ate something while he watched a show. I also remember telling him to just relax and enjoy the time together; getting up from the table, going into my room, and crying for a moment. I could never have known how profound this moment was going to be in Jeremiah’s life.
Jeremiah is married now. He has a beautiful home, a beautiful wife, and they are expecting their first child in September. He and Miranda invited all of us to come out and see their new house this past Sunday, after church, and we headed out to Covington at about 3:00 in the afternoon.
It was awesome to be there. They live on Floyd Street, one street over from where he and his dad lived, a little fact that brings Jeremiah a great deal of pride in himself for reasons only he could ever fully understand; and they were so excited to give us the grand tour. I was incredibly proud to see all that he had accomplished through his hard work. Next, it was time to cook out!
We fired up the grill and put the burgers on. Jeremiah and I sat out on the deck and talked while attending to the grill while Cheryl and the children played Wii dance in the living room…while laughing at the top of their voice. When we finished cooking, we all went into the dining room to eat.
As the plates were served, something began to materialize in front of me; and I didn’t realize what was happening right away. All of a sudden it struck me…and I mean it hit me like a ton of bricks, just as Jeremiah finished blessing the food.
Cheryl and I, our six children, Jeremiah and his wife, and his mother were all sitting down for supper…at his dinner table. Jeremiah had prepared the table…his table…for us; and we gathered there, in his dining room, and I was overwhelmed with emotion. The significance of that moment cannot be explained with words, you would have had to be there.
I can offer you this. There are kings and princes, presidents, politicians, and dignitaries. There are men of wealth and power, and men of influence. I am sure that being invited to dine with these people would be an overwhelming honor, and an experience that would not be soon forgotten. Then, there is Jeremiah’s table, in Covington, on Floyd Street; for me, that is where great honor lies. There, at his table, I felt like I was the King of the world.
Jason, father of six