Remember when you were growing up and how there always seemed to be a kid’s table at family functions? I can vividly remember thinking how cool it was going to be when I was finally old enough to sit at the grown up table. My kids and their cousins did/do the same thing, arguing about who should get the honor of moving to the adult table first. The funny thing is, most of us grown ups now know that the kids table is actually way more fun! While the kid’s table might be a mess, there is way less stress, it’s far more interesting and more often than not you  learn something new. The problem is that somehow, even knowing all these things, doesn’t keep us from fighting for a seat at the table. We feel like we are missing out if we aren’t at the “right” table or that somehow we’ve been deemed unworthy to sit at the “adult” table. 

Let me offer a different perspective. I contend that many of us waste a ton of time and energy fighting for a seat at tables where we have no business sitting. We become so busy and distracted proving we have earned the right to sit there, when in reality God has called us to stay at the “kid’s table” or in the background. And some of us can get caught up in retaining our seat, when what we should be doing is standing up and pulling out the chair for the one whom God has chosen to sit at that particular table. 

Recently I’ve felt led to start a deep dive study on the life and writings of the apostle Paul. While I’ve only just begun reading and doing research, one thing is crystal clear. Paul fully knew not only his calling but also his place. Time after time he refers to himself as a servant or slave. Regardless of who he is writing to, he always is very clear that his only intent is to complete the job he was called to -share the love of Jesus with Gentiles (and whomever else might be willing to listen). Now I don’t know about you, but I deeply desire to have that kind of absolute clarity about my calling. 

In Ephesians 4:1, Paul tells us to “walk worthy of the calling we’ve received”. The Holy Spirit has been teaching me that the first step in walking worthy of your calling is to know your calling. I don’t want to get too far off topic here, but also feel the need to mention that everyone Christian believer has the same calling. Jesus himself gives it to us in Matt 28:19-20, when He tells the disciples to “go and make more disciples”. If you are indeed a Christ follower, you too have been called to go and make disciples. However, the way we go about fulfilling that calling is going to look and be different. 

Personally, I’ve gone through a season or two where I was fighting hard to get a seat at the table, without really seeking God’s direction. I might have prayed that I’d get the seat, but did so convinced that it must be God’s plan since I wanted it so badly. News flash – that’s not the way it works!! 

I’m not gonna lie, I had some emotions after finding out those seats were meant for another. However, working through those emotions has opened my eyes to see that occupying those seats  was never my calling. My calling, the one God gave me personally, is something completely different and in this season my purpose is to pull out the chair for the one God has called to sit at the table. Don’t get me wrong here, some days it’s really hard to trust God when nothing seems to be going the way you thought or had hoped. But when I start my days with Jesus and honestly and truly lean into whatever He has for me that day, He is faithful to provide glimpses of protection and provision making it super easy and honestly kind of fun pulling out that chair for another. Not to mention it’s what Jesus did – Matthew 20:28 says Jesus “came to serve, not to be served.”

You see you don’t have to have a seat at whatever table to be used by God. God can and will use you even if you’re stuck at the kid’s table your entire life! In fact, if you are willing and open to trusting God’s plans and timing over yours- you just might find out the kid’s table is where real life happens!