By Briana Bass, Christian Romance Author, Devotional Writer & Certified Professional Coach

High school television shows never resonated with me, even when I was a teenager. The characters were two-dimensional and never stepped outside their specific cliques. Jocks stuck with jocks, nerds stuck with nerds, free-spirited artists stuck with free-spirited artists. They played into stereotypes that created division at a time in our lives when we needed to lean on one another more than ever before.

I didn’t stick with just one group. My best friends were in the marching band – I wasn’t. I was a theatre kid who also wrote for the school newspaper. I took honors and AP classes. Some of my friends were in my graduating class, but many were in the years above and below mine. I flitted about from group to group, rarely sitting at the same lunch table day after day.

Christians are cliquey, too. We distance ourselves from non-Christians. We divide ourselves amongst denominational lines. Instead of eating with sinners, we only dine with those we consider both saved and worthy. We keep ourselves to ourselves in ways that do not align with Jesus’ teachings.

Break free of the cliques, my friends. It’s time to stop sitting at the same table every day. Stand up, and move amongst the cafeteria, spreading love from table to table.

Who’s Sitting at Your Table?

Jesus sat with tax collectors and prostitutes. He healed Jews and Romans alike. He befriended both men and women. Are you doing the same? Look around your social circles. Is everyone the same age, gender, and race? Do they have the same interests or work in the same profession? Are they all Catholics or all Protestants? Or are you emulating Christ, diversifying your circle and even stepping outside your circle to love and embrace others?

Stagnating at the same table every day is the opposite of what Christ calls us to do. Walking with Jesus requires us to move from table to table. Step away from your comfortable clique and greet people you don’t normally hang out with. You’ll find that they aren’t very different from you and your friends.

As Paul writes, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28 KJV). We are all God’s children. Regardless of someone’s situation in life, they are still our sibling, part of God’s family. When we look past the earthly labels we force upon ourselves, we are able to see the Holy Spirit living within each person.

Walk a Mile in Their Shoes

We surround ourselves with other Christians, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It’s nice to have friends who will pray with you, who will help you steer clear of sin, and who will celebrate the same holidays as you. But we must be careful that we aren’t isolating ourselves. Living in a vacuum isn’t healthy.

As a Protestant, I don’t interact with only other Protestants. I don’t limit myself to talking with only Church of the Brethren members either. My friends and family include Catholics, Baptists, Methodists, Lutherans, non-denominational Christians, Jews, agnostics, and atheists. Each of them has informed my faith journey in some way. I wouldn’t be who I am today if they weren’t in my life.

The same is true for you. How can you grow if you don’t look at the world through someone else’s eyes? Different perspectives allow us to witness both the joy and the agony of humanity. The people around us support our faith journeys through love but also by challenging our thinking. Healthy, respectful theological debate can deepen our relationship with Christ. It can also deepen our relationships with the people around us.

Taking the time to get to know why someone believes what they believe can encourage our own inward thinking. The point isn’t to question or doubt the Almighty, but to better understand our individual connection to our Creator. These conversations with other people whose beliefs may be different from our own also provide a path towards peace and unity.

Flip the Tables

Let’s return to the cafeteria. Which table are you sitting at today? Will you sit somewhere different tomorrow? Some people sit at the same table, day after day, ignoring the tables around them. Don’t be that person. Get up! Get moving! Be like Jesus. Embrace all your brothers and sisters. Make room for them at the table. Build a new table if needed.

Moving amongst different groups isn’t always fashionable. You may face opposition. Some people may see you sitting at another table and judge you for it. Don’t let their opinions redirect your steps. Hold your head up high, walk with purpose, and you could end up setting an example for other people to move tables, too.