A place at the table …

The people I’m sitting around inspired my writing this morning.

At one table is a leading officer with the local police department, surrounded by three younger officers, who appear to be hanging on his every word, as if they’re honored to have been selected to have this time for a veteran officer just to pour his experience into them.

At a different table is a senior officer in the department. Unlike the officers at the other table, he isn’t wearing a uniform, but his badge and gun are prominently displayed on the right side of his belt. He’s having a more philosophical discussion with a city leader who is decked out in an expensive suit.

It can be exciting when you’re working up the ranks of whatever you do. These young officers are excited they’ve been invited to the table with this veteran. But it’s likely none of them will make it to the “bigger” table with the other two, where the most pressing executive decisions are made.

I remember the first time I made it to the big table. The regional directors of the national company I worked for were presenting their numbers to the Chairman and President of the company. It was exciting knowing the work we did earned us a seat at that table.

I also remember when I first earned a place at the head table. Working for a large, national healthcare organization while living in Hawaii, I had taken our offices there and developed the numbers one and three revenue generating offices in the country for this big company, and my area had become the top revenue-generating area within the organization. When we were honored by the CEO at a special President’s Club event, the CEO talked about how he was astounded that little Hawaii — the most remote islands on the planet — beat all the major markets on the mainland and out-performed everyone.

It took a lot of work. And by that work, we earned a seat of honor and our own table.

Such experiences at the differing levels can be fun and exciting, but they’re fleeting. Sooner or later, someone else comes in with a better number. If you make it just about the table you’re at rather than the people you’re with, it will be a very empty experience.

But there’s another table — the biggest of all — that we each have an opportunity to be a guest at. None of us can earn a place at this table; unlike the other accomplishments we might earn, and thereby deserve a place at the meeting, there’s nothing we can do to earn a chair at this table. I’m talking about the wedding feast of the Lamb …

“Then I heard what sounded like a shout of a vast crowd or the roar of mighty ocean waves or the crash of loud thunder: ‘Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns! Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him. For the time has come for the wedding feast of the Lamb, and his bride has prepared herself. She has been given the finest of pure white linen to wear.’ For the fine linen represents the good deeds of God’s holy people. And the angel said to me, ‘Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding feast of the Lamb.’ And he added, ‘These are true words that come from God,’” Revelation 19:6-9.

That’s a meeting you won’t want to miss!

You’ve been given an invitation by the Lamb to this dinner. Your RSVP comes in the form of surrendering your life to Jesus Christ, putting your faith in Him, confessing Him as your Lord, and repenting of your sins. You enter into a covenant relationship with Him as you’re buried with Christ in baptism, and raised to walk in newness of life.

A life that will some day lead to your place at this biggest of all tables.

Will you be there?

Scotty