Justin March leads the Bethany Lutheran Church Men’s Ministry and sends a weekly email message to the Men’s group every week.  Justin has generously permitted us to post his weekly reflections here.

If you ever wanted a
statement to stand behind, 2020 is your year. Liberation, Education Reform,
Speak Up, Equality, Vote, Black Lives Matter, Mentor, Group Economics, Freedom,
Enough, Say Their Names, I Can’t Breathe, Peace, Justice, How Many More, Hear
Us, Respect Us, Love Us, Enough, Power To The People, and Listen are just a few
of the mantras we hear. They are fed through our media, our sports teams, and
our protests, and these statements cannot and will not be ignored.

 Some of these
statements are inclusive, some are polarizing, some bring us together, and some
push us apart. As I am bombarded by statements of social equality, education,
political affiliation, and economic imbalance, there are times I want to stand
up and cheer. But when I see the hatred, violence, and segregation that some of
these statements stand for, I am left to wonder if our divisions are becoming
even greater. The progression we desperately seek, the equality we strive to
achieve, and the love we long to spread can be enhanced by some of these
statements, but some of these statements can also erase the work we have
already done.

 As I try to filter
through the messages I am encapsulated with, it can become difficult to
understand what each one truly means. But as I watched the Milwaukee Bucks
protest the latest shooting, I saw a player wearing a shirt that had a
statement everyone can get behind. It was a statement that was inclusive,
sacrificial, and beneficial to all. And as I read the statement out loud, it
left an impression that is still with me four days later.

“If you are more
fortunate than others, build a longer table, not a taller fence.”

Exactly. In one way or
another, we are all more fortunate than somebody else. We may be blessed with a
large income. We may have idle time. We may be healthy. We may have an
influential voice. We may have a skill set that is unique and all-serving.
Whatever it is, we all have something that someone else does not. And once we
figure out what that something is, the question becomes this. Do we separate
ourselves from those that are unlike us, or do we share to bring equality one
step closer?

It is time to build a
longer table. If we are to close the gaps on racial, social, and gender inequalities,
our tables must be open to those that are less fortunate. We must feed the
poor, we must house the homeless, we must get groceries for our elders, we must
heal the sick, and we must listen to and love one another. When our tables are
extended, we are open to helping those less fortunate. Our hearts are softened,
and our minds awake with the realization there are needs beyond ours in this
world. We no longer separate ourselves by gender, skin color, economic class,
political affiliation, or religious belief. And when we build a longer table,
we become the disciples God wants us to be. We become his hands and feet in
this world. We walk as Jesus walked, and we understand that when we help
others, we are doing his will and bridging the gaps that keep us apart.

What can you do the
build a longer table? Are there some open seats? You may have a lot, or you may
not, but each of us has something we can offer. It is time to pull together, it
is time to trust in the Lord, and it is time to erase these divisions that keep
us apart. Build a longer table, let the invitation be open, and witness the
change when others receive your blessing. You may think that equality is a
stretch and will never happen, but all you need to do is extend your table,
share your gifts, and allow God’s light to shine through everything you do.
Each small step is progress, each small step is meaningful, and each small step
brings people closer to Jesus. So, build a longer table and let God do the
rest. I can promise you this. If you build a longer table, if you are honest
and open, and if you invite others to fill every seat, fences will fall, walls
will crumble, and you will feel the blessings that come from doing God’s work
and fulfilling God’s mission! It is then that we will see each other as equals
and love each other as Jesus loves us!

“Blessed are the poor
in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the
earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will
be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are
the pure in heart, for they will see God.” – Matthew 5