Making Room for One Another

“At the present moment, your surplus can fill their deficit so that in the future their surplus can fill your deficit.” ~ 2 Corinthians 8:14

On Sunday, we continued our All In series by considering what it means to belong to a community where everyone matters.

We remembered a table with an empty chair and wondered who might need an invitation. We also heard about Paul's efforts to gather an offering for Christians in Jerusalem who were struggling. Although these churches were separated by distance and culture, they belonged to one another through Jesus Christ.

Their generosity was about more than meeting a financial need. It was a way of saying, “Your struggles matter to us. You haven't been forgotten.”

Their generosity made their belonging visible.

That's something worth remembering because we all need to know that we matter.

Sometimes we're the ones able to offer help, encouragement, or support. At other times, we're the ones who need someone to care for us.

Paul reminds us that generosity isn't about everyone giving the same amount or doing more than they're able. It's about sharing what we can so that others know they haven't been forgotten.

On Sunday, we also gathered at the Lord's Table, where we were reminded that our place in God's family isn't something we earn. It's a gift of grace.

And that grace goes with us into the world.

Sometimes making room for someone means offering practical help. Sometimes it means reaching out to someone we haven't seen in a while, listening to someone who's struggling, or simply inviting someone to join us.

These may seem like small things, but they are ways of making God's love visible.

At Christ's Table, there's room for everyone. And when we leave that Table, we're called to make room for one another in the way we live.

Who might need to know they haven't been forgotten this week? And what could you share — your time, encouragement, friendship, or resources — to help them feel that they belong?

Gracious God, thank you for welcoming us into your family. Open our hearts to recognize the needs of others and give us willing hands to share what we can. Help us receive the care of others when we need it, and may our lives reflect your generous love. Amen.