How Does Eating Together Give Us Hope?
Written by Emma McCoy
3 minute read
When I texted Matt and Jessie last week, wondering what to do with the blog, I was given a very specific prompt (yay!):
When you think about people who seem to live with God’s hope, do you see any of these four ancient spiritual practices (scripture, prayer, eating together, hospitality) in their life?
Over the next few weeks at Spring Church we’re talking about how four ancient spiritual practices (prayer, scripture reading, eating together, and hospitality) lead to hope. I’m going to be writing about how I see each of these work in people’s lives. Can these practices give us glimpses of God’s future breaking in right now? Spoiler alert: the answer is yes.
Now, I knew right away that I was going to write about eating together for this blog.
The ancient spiritual practice of sharing a meal has been around a long time, and is shared among cultures and religions as a cornerstone of fellowship and kinship. Sharing a table and eating together is about sharing life, friendship, and resources.
So the religious leaders of Jesus’ day were absolutely furious that Jesus ate with unclean people and traitors. How dare he approve of prostitutes and tax collectors? He made himself unclean by sharing food with them—a meal is intimate, vulnerable, and sacred, didn’t he understand that? Thankfully, Jesus knew exactly what he was doing. He was sharing in the spiritual practice of eating together, which helps draw people together.
It’s no wonder that a popular image of heaven involves a big table, and a feast, with room for everyone.
Here’s why I knew I was going to write about this practice this week: I’m actually in Egypt right now! I am visiting people I’ve known for years, and my grandparents have known for decades through an international ministry called Cru that shares the gospel on college campuses. There are a lot of things about Egypt that are different from American customs: being late isn’t rude, driving laws are suggestions at best, and coffee is served at all times of day.
Additionally, inviting someone to your home for a meal is a big deal. I didn’t really know this. So when friends of ours invited us for lunch, I was thinking about it through an American lens: we show up, talk over some food, help clean the dishes, sit in the living room for a bit, and head out. Maybe an hour or an hour and a half.
Silly American.
Lunch was nothing short of epic. Enough food for two Thanksgiving dinners, fancy dishes, and incredible hospitality. At one lunch there was fish, beef, chicken, pigeon, potatoes, salad, vegetables, stuffed zucchini, and okra stew. I think I might still be full from it. I ate way more than I could, and when I was pressed to keep eating I finally had to say that I was full ten minutes ago. Amid stories, jokes, and reminiscing about years past, I was pressed again and again because that’s Egyptian culture—keep eating! After rounds and rounds of this our hosts accepted we were done.
“Time for coffee and dessert!”
Oh boy. But even though I practically had to be rolled out of there, I knew I was sitting at a table that gave me a glimpse of what the Kingdom of Heaven looks like. It must have taken hours to prepare that much food—more than we could possibly eat. And lunch took three hours—more time than most Americans would take out of a work day. We relaxed, and talked, and shared, and enjoyed our time together. I saw God at Carmen and Aziz’s house, and at Essam and Vivian’s. I was reminded how special it is to get to eat with someone and share in something that all humans have to do, all the time.
But eating together doesn’t always have to look like a feast (though it’s cool when it does). It can look like meeting for coffee, grabbing a quick (and American) lunch, eating dinner out, or bringing over baked goods when someone is having a hard day. Who we eat with matters, which is why Jesus was so controversial when he ate with people different from him. Part of uncommon friendship is sharing a meal—why do you think we eat dinner together at Spring Church?
Whether a meal is something extravagant like an Egyptian lunch or Christmas dinner, or simple as coffee and a walk, this ancient spiritual practice is incredibly meaningful in building friendships and sharing in life. We all have to eat, and it matters how we do it and who we do it with. As you go about your week, is there someone you’ve been meaning to reach out to? Can you sit by someone you don’t know well at Spring Church? Is there someone you can bless with a meal?
Let’s pursue this ancient spiritual practice the way Jesus did: on purpose, and with love.
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Who in your life would you like to share this with?
About the author
Spring Church member, Emma McCoy (M.A.), has two poetry books: This Voice Has an Echo (2024) and In Case I Live Forever (2022). She’s been published in places like Across the Margin, Stirring Literary, and Thimble Mag. She reads for Chestnut Review and Whale Road Review. She’s probably working on her novel right now. Catch her on Substack: https://poetrybyemma.substack.com/