One of the lesser talked about milestones in a baby's life is perhaps the day you can sit at the table with the rest of the family.
This past weekend we got a high chair for you. I was so excited. The months of gobbling up one-handed mouthfuls while holding you during dinner, or just hoping you'd sleep through it all, have passed by so quickly.
It soon became apparent that giving you your own place with us at mealtime was the order of the day.
We had been leaving you in your swing while we ate. But as you became more aware of your surroundings, you made it known to all that you were missing out on something important.
And you were.
You see, your place is with us. You were born to have a place at the table with us. And it will always be with us, no matter how far away from home you may wander.
The other night, while running an errand, I ran across a man who had no home. He had been sitting on the curb outside the store I was heading into, resting up against the wall. He looked a little scraggly, yes. But more so, he simply looked defeated.
As I was walking into the store, he got my attention and sheepishly started asking me for help, telling me he was homeless.
Now, I'm a natural skeptic. And always preferring to be a good steward, my instant reaction would most always be to turn the person down with awkward excuses.
But this time I didn't. I told him I'd have something for him when I returned. When I came back, I asked him his name, shook his hand, and gave him the little bit of cash I had taken out for him. His name was Joe.
Now I won't get into the wisdom of giving money to strangers. All I knew is that Joe, in that moment, needed a place at Someone's Table. He needed someone to fill his heart with just enough hope to get him to his next step. He may not have eaten at our table, but I pray that he finds the very place that can feed his soul.
Son, my prayer is that you always keep an open heart, that you notice the needs around you and act when it is within your power to do so. For in doing so, who knows if you have not helped that person along in finding the One who has invited us all to His Banqueting Table?
And, yes, my hope is that someday, I'll see Joe there.
