What Do YOU Bring to the Table?
April 16, 2024 11:32 PM
Mark Peterson
Lifeinthespirit.net
Several years ago, a non-profit organization board in the Arkansas Delta met to discuss prospective board members, and I was privileged to be a part of that discussion. Like many non-profits, they struggled with finances, so they were looking for individuals who were either wealthy or had political influence to gain access to money. A person would be suggested, and the next question was: “What do they bring to the table?” Although I dislike the jargon, it means “what could they contribute to our organization?”
What Different Age Groups Bring to the Table
We could ask the same question about people of different ages – what can they contribute to our society:
· BABIES inspire awe, wonder, and love; created in the image of God, they are BRAND-NEW PERSONS, more incredible than a solar eclipse, Niagara Falls, or Grand Canyon.
· CHILDREN contribute curiosity and excitement at encountering the world and learning how to get along with other people.
· YOUNG PEOPLE contribute energy and promise for the future, unencumbered by life’s burdens, unfulfilled dreams, and skepticism of what is possible.
· MIDDLE AGE PEOPLE are the backbone of society – men and women each contributing their unique abilities, knowledge and skills in work, dedication, and commitment to family – raising the younger generation and caring for the older generation.
· SENIOR ADULTS contribute experience, reflection, wisdom, and a knowledge of history that enables them to recognize patterns and current events with a deep understanding.
Healthy, Godly societies, communities, families, and churches recognize the critical contributions that each group can make, and act to support, protect, and nurture them. In these settings, individuals in each of the above groups are respected and loved for who they are, and “heard”.
What Does Satan Bring to the Table
In contrast, Satan and his minions seek to steal our identities – who we are as image-bearers of God, kill our bodies in a multitude of ways, and destroy our souls:
· BABIES are killed in the womb or sacrificed to idols,
· CHILDREN are abused, trafficked, or mutilated for gender transitioning,
· YOUNG PEOPLE are brainwashed by secular education, hooked on drugs, blasted with satanic music and videos, and robbed of their promising futures,
· MIDDLE AGE PEOPLE are lied to by our government and media, forced to work in inhumane conditions (required vaccinations, etc.), and robbed of their finances through inflation, and
· SENIOR ADULTS are put on drugs to keep them docile, and robbed of their valuable roles as sources of wisdom by a culture that only values youth.
Satan not only brings destruction and death to the table (our society, communities, families, and churches), but HE WANTS TO DESTROY THEM.
What Does Jesus Bring to the Table
Not only does our Lord prepare a table for us in the presence of our enemies (Psalm 23:5), but He:
· invited His disciples to join Him for a breakfast of fish and bread (John 21:12),
· invites us to dine with Him (Revelation 3:20), and
· offered bread and wine to His disciples at the last supper (Mark 14), an expression of and a precursor to Him giving Himself – His body and blood – on the cross to wipe away our sins and the fear of death forever (Mark 15).
What Do YOU Bring to the Table?
Jesus said we are to “love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind, the first and great commandment.” Then He said we are to “love our neighbor as ourself.”
He is saying – if we don’t spend any time with Him – in repentance, in His Word, in worship, and in prayer, we will have nothing special – NOTHING SUPERNATURAL to share with others. We will be unable to fulfill His calling upon our lives – the grand purpose for which we were created – to impart to others His truth and love.
So let us go forth with boldness and courage to reach others, for time is short, eternity is a very long time, and we are not guaranteed tomorrow.
To God be the glory
LifeintheSpirit.net
Source of image: Pixabay
