When I was creating my wedding registry, people kept asking me if I’d picked out a set of china. As someone who often enjoyed my Thanksgiving meal on paper plates for easy cleanup, this concept was foreign to me. Why would I have china on my registry? Wasn’t that just for taking up space and collecting dust?
But as I talked to others, I began to see why such traditions persist even today. Surely it’s a mark of distinction to sit down to a table full of crystal and porcelain. Though the food may be the same, the atmosphere changes. Taking a place at such a table feels reverent, as if the meal we share is full of intentionality.
Yet most times, I don’t make the effort to set the fine table. It’s just so much easier to put out my beat up dishes that will go right in the dishwasher afterwards. Why do I so often choose convenience over reverence? Maybe because I can cram more things into my day when I don’t have to hand wash the dinnerware.
Getting caught up in the everyday moments is so easy. With so many tasks to do and a culture of busyness, days could go by where I don’t think about the more refined moments—the ones that might call for a fine china table.
But is being busier really what Jesus wants for me? Or am I called to fewer, more intentional moments throughout my day?
The story of Zacchaeus comes to mind. Maybe he was on his way to work when he stopped to see Jesus. He could have decided to ignore Jesus’ invitation to dine with him, making any number of excuses. In his moment of humanness—staring down at the Savior from the branches of a sycamore tree—he could have decided his own pride was worth more than a divine appointment. But because he chose to accept the invitation, he received a better gift than all his worldly riches combined.
Another account I often think about is the story of sisters Martha and Mary. When faced with a visit from Jesus and the disciples, Martha busied herself with serving them and making them feel at home. I get the feeling that if she had fine china, she would have set the table with all the bells and whistles. But instead of using her hospitality as a way to humbly serve her king, she got caught up in the details. She comes to Jesus, not to revere him, but to complain that her sister Mary isn’t helping. Jesus replies that Mary has chosen the better portion—to sit at the feet of her Savior.
I often feel like Martha. In my pursuit of serving God, I forget the whole point of my service—to draw closer to Jesus and help others do the same. The details feel so important at the time, but the color of napkins or the amount of appetizers don’t really matter towards eternity if they pull my focus away from God.
We can’t be reverent toward God if we’re too busy rushing around to listen to His word. Instead, we can take each moment we’re given into service of the King. I don’t need hundreds of meaningless tasks during my day. I’d rather have a few chances to sit in reverence at the fine table, enjoying the presence of my Savior. And once I can learn to sit at the feet of Jesus, all my other service is transformed.