It Really Does(n't) Matter

Acts 11:1-18

Yesterday afternoon I, along with two colleagues I work with at the high school, had to set up 61 chairs and tables for an all-school test day we're having today. Not only did we have to set up 61 chairs and tables, we had to do it in a room designed for 40.

At first glance we thought the task to be impossible, or at least extremely difficult. Our first obstacle was one of the test rules which state that if the table a student is sitting at is less than 6 feet long only 1 student can be at the table. We had 20 of those tables and as such our available student size was cut in half.

We looked around and saw that there were 15 of those table/chair combos which weren't being used sitting in a section of the room . We asked the teacher whose room we were setting up if we could use those chairs and she said, "We never use them because the kids don't like them, but if you have to then I guess it's okay." So we rearranged the room in order to fit those chair/tables.

We were still short by about 25 seats. We looked around the rest of the building and found some 2-foot tables (affectionately known as "half tables") which were sitting in a corner of the building collecting dust. We asked the teacher in whose room those tables were being stored if we could use them, and she said, "I don't see why not, we never use them because nobody likes them."

We counted how many tables there were and when we counted 40 we became excited as we quickly realized we had more than enough. the question now became how we were going to get them across the building and into the room. Then, as if by divine intervention, a group of about 6 freshmen from the boy's track team showed up and asked if we needed help.

Within an hour, and with the help of those young men, the room was set up and we were ready for the next day. As I looked around the room, delighted in the work that was done, I noticed that our room was one of a mixed group of chairs and tables, each with its own style, color, and flaws which had all come together for one purpose - to provide whatever it could to accomplish a common goal.

I had also thought about the people who had put all these chairs and tables into that room. We, too, were of different color, style, and age and we, too, had our own flaws. In spite of our differences, though, we found a way to come together to provide whatever we could to accomplish a single goal.

In our passage from Acts, Peter is in the same situation. He's being told that the people he's going to visit are "unclean" and shouldn't be associated with. Peter, however, sees it in a different way and tells his detractors that it really doesn't matter what one's practices are, what does matter is they are invited into the community. As a part of the community these people will each be able to provide whatever they can in order to accomplish a single goal: to share in the love of God as shown to us through our Christ Jesus.

If we are to do our part as a member of the community tasked to help all people be welcomed into the love of God, then we need to realize we each have our differences and find a way to unite regardless of those differences. Don't you think?