Table Talk

table talk

Take time to talk at the table.

In this year when we celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, it is good to us to remember some of the practical, everyday components of Martin Luther’s life that we can apply to our lives today.

One of those is the idea of Table Talk. Luther would regularly gather around the dinner table with friends, family and students of his for dinner and for conversation. The topics of these conversations would range from religious doctrine and history to instructions regarding government, church, and the academic university. Many who were there took notes on what Luther and others said at these Table Talks, which were eventually compiled into a book called Table Talk

The idea of gathering together for a daily meal and talking around the dinner table for hours has been gradually falling out of practice in our homes over the years, unfortunately. It is time for us to reclaim and prioritize that practice.

Make an effort as much as you can to eat together as a family. And then use that time to discuss important matters of faith. There are few other times when we are in a comfortable enough environment to talk about such things with those we love around us. It is important to give everyone a chance to share their insights on their faith in Christ and their experiences with him in their lives. And it is important that people’s words are valued.

So much can happen in a given day that we all need time to process what occurred and reflect on things with others. Sometimes it is those very conversations around the dinner table that give us the perspective we need and the vision to see that God is doing in our lives.

For many years now I have been a part of what we call “lunch bunch,” when I gather at a table at a nearby coffee shop after church with fellow brothers and sisters in Christ to talk about our week. It is an uplifting and encouraging time to reconnect with each other and remind each other of our faith and Christ’s central role in our lives through all the ups and downs that we encounter.

Christ recommended gathering together, of course, when he said, “Wherever two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them” (Matthew 18:20).

Christ is a guest at every table we gather around. Let him always be a part of the conversation!

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