Years ago, there was a slogan that was so popular and went viral on jewelry, books, bracelets, etc. It was the infamous WWJD (What Would Jesus Do). While that is worthy of consideration, I think today it is much more important to practice another slogan, WDJD (What Did Jesus Do). When we look at the current climate here in America, I really think it is critical that we look at the big picture and ask ourselves, what did Jesus do when it came to people who were vulnerable and marginalized. When I look at what is taking place in our country, specifically politically, when it comes to the marginalized and vulnerable people, I really don’t believe it falls in line with Jesus and what he did.
So, when we look at the vulnerable and marginalized people in our country today, we need to look at what did Jesus do. Who did Jesus invite to his table? When you look at the life of Jesus, what you notice is something very peculiar. He spent a lot of time around the dinner table. Many of his most frequently quoted messages and standout stories happened while sharing a meal with others. So, who were the ones Jesus invited?
As we look closer, we see that his company around the table was a remarkable and diverse cast. He crossed racial boundaries to the shock of many around him. Jesus went against all societal norms when he extended invitations to his table. By doing this, Jesus invited the outcast, criticized, marginalized, and vulnerable people of his day to his table.
Jesus frequently invited a diverse group of people to his table which included outcasts, tax collectors, “sinners”, and this included his disciples and most loyal followers. When Jesus chose his disciples, he didn’t go to the religious elite and those in the rabbinical school. He went to fishermen, tax collectors, and those where were rabbinical school dropouts. He went to those who were prejudiced against, rejected, and criticized. In other words, the vulnerable and marginalized.
Also, in a time when it was not a common practice to invite women into your circles, Jesus welcomed and even sought out the women of his day. And, not just women but women who were outcasts, like Mary Magdelene who was maligned and mistreated all of her life and possessed by demons until Jesus delivered her and rescued her. Mary of Magdala was only one of the “Mary’s” who Jesus invited to his table.
And, we can’t forget the Samaritan woman at the well which broke all kinds of “rules” of their day. Men didn’t talk to women in public, Jews didn’t associate with Samaritans, and she had a past that had given her a reputation. But in her marginalized and vulnerable state, Jesus invited her to his table. And, we can’t forget the woman who came to the dinner party and to the shock of all those there, anointed Jesus’ feet.
In a general way, we see that Jesus invited ALL those who were weary and burdened. In Matthew 11:28, Jesus said, “Come to me, ALL you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” Anyone who was felt oppressed, discouraged, and beat down by all that was happening around them, Jesus invited to his table. We also see that Jesus invited ALL those who were thirsty. Jesus said in John 7:37, “Let anyone (ALL) who is thirsty come to me and drink.”
When we look at how Jesus invited the marginalized and vulnerable people of his day to his table, what does that teach us about why we should do the same. Some of the things Jesus’ example teaches us are:
INCLUSIVE; NOT EXCLUSIVE: Jesus’ willingness to invite those who were rejected, vulnerable, and marginalized to his table demonstrated his all-inclusive love and rejection of societal divisions.
A CHALLENGE TO SOCIETAL NORMS: Jesus’ actions challenged the established hierarchal structure of society and the Pharisees’ rigid adherence to religious rules.
A SIGN OF GOD’S GRACE: Sharing a meal was a sign of acceptance, fellowship, and community. For Jesus, this was a way of demonstrate God’s grace and invitation to all.
Jesus didn’t typically invite the Pharisees to his table, because they did not associate with people they considered “less than”, specifically the vulnerable and marginalized people Jesus hung out with. The crowd Jesus invited to his table drew lots of criticism from the Pharisees. But, on the rare occasions when he was invited by the Pharisees to dinner, he went; but went with a purpose. He went with an example to give and a message to proclaim. That same message of the all-inclusive and non-judgmental love of God, to challenge against the norms of society, to give a sign of God’s grace, and to show how God desires for all to live a life of gracious love, choosing to love graciously.
Sadly, when I look at our society and political climate of today as a whole, what I see is the mindset of the Pharisees and not the mindset of Jesus. The ones who typically get invited to the table are only those who look like us, talk like us, dress like us, think like us, and act like us. If someone has a different social status, age, gender, ethnicity, or sexual identity, specifically Transgender and LGBTQ, they don’t get invited to the table. That is the mindset of the Pharisees. But, the mindset of Jesus is all are invited to the table. Everybody, specifically those who are vulnerable, marginalized and different like immigrants, homeless, rich, poor, Transgender, LGBTQ, etc. If they look, talk, dress, act, and think differently they are invited to the table.
Recently I saw this in a post about Jesus’ invitation to his table. It said, “It was radical at the time. No one was that inclusive. The religious do-gooders began to whisper behind his back. They called him a friend of sinners. It was supposed to be an insult, but Jesus wore it proudly. He was a friend to everyone. And what do friends do? They eat dinner together and share in each other’s lives.
Strangers eating together and becoming friends. What a simple concept, and yet, we’re pretty sure it would turn our own modern world upside down the same way Jesus turned his around 2,000 years ago. We see division and broken relationships everywhere. We see judgment and hypocrisy on the rise. We see people who claim to be followers of Jesus taking his open invite and turning it into an exclusive club.
The name of Jesus has been used to harm and divide, but if you look at how he lived, you see how backward that really is. Jesus was not exclusive. He was radically inclusive. What would our world look like if that were the norm? If strangers became friends over the dinner table as they did around Jesus?” (Adapted from: www.hegetsus.com)
The key word in the Scriptures quoted above is not what you would think. It is a simple, but yet profound three-letter word that defines the mindset of Jesus and our choice to love graciously. It is the word, ALL! Jesus didn’t say some were invited. Jesus didn’t say just those who looked, talked, dressed, thought and acted the same were invited. Jesus said ALL were invited! ALL who are weary, burdened, and thirsty are invited. So, what did Jesus do? ALL were invited!
Given that is what Jesus said and what Jesus did, what should we do? We do as Jesus did; we choose to invite ALL, including and specifically the marginalized and vulnerable, to our table! We do as Jesus did and we choose to love graciously ALL the marginalized and vulnerable who are in our lives and in proximity of us!
Who is being invited to your table? Are you loving graciously? Are you inclusive, thinking and acting like Jesus? Or, are you exclusive, thinking and acting like the Pharisees? If you wonder if you are indeed thinking and acting like Jesus, your attitudes and actions towards the vulnerable and marginalized will let you know!