Heart Shaped Lunch

"You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies."

Psalm 23:5

It's February and at preschool it's all about red hearts, white lace, pink glitter, playing post office and making heart shaped sandwiches!

Tuesday was "make a lunch for someone you love" day. It was the cutest thing ever to see their pudgy little fingers struggle, while spreading peanut butter and jelly on two slices of bread; to see the delight on their faces when they successfully cut them in the shape of a heart; to see them thoughtfully choose the right snack and wrap it all up in a white paper sack.

Then came the struggle. They had to give it away. They wanted to eat that special heart-shaped sandwich themselves! It took awhile but, they finally caught onto the concept that sharing their lunch was like giving a gift to someone you love. By the end of the morning their white paper sacks were adorned with pink hearts and lovingly addressed to Mommy or Daddy, Brother or Nana and even an imaginary friend!

More interesting was the reaction on parents and grandparents faces. Sheer joy and pride covered the mommies faces whose children addressed lunches to them. Snickers arose from those whose children chose to share with their daddies, disappointment from the Nana who's grandchild chose the "other" Nana and a grin from the one whose child chose the imaginary friend.

As the families left one at a time my mind wandered to Psalm 23 where David says, "You prepare a table for me in the presence of my enemies." I pictured myself in Jesus' banquet hall, reaching for a white paper sack among thousands that I hadn't addressed but Jesus had addressed for me. There was a heart-shaped sandwich inside that I had to give away. My pink heart said it was addressed to my enemy; someone I didn't like very much and didn't like me either. Jesus put that sacked lunch in my hand and said, "Go. I've prepared this just for you two."

Jesus is all about relationships and reconciliation. It's just like Him to give us a heart-shaped sandwich to share with the one we struggle to even like a little, isn't it? But He knows that when we break bread and share our hearts the walls between us will start to crumble and relationships will begin to heal.

In Matthew 5:44 Jesus challenges us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us as well. It's definitely a struggle to even think of being in the same room with an enemy let alone consider praying for them or sharing a meal. But the point is this: Jesus loves us both the same. If we call Him Father and he calls us daughter or son, then he asks us to emulate his actions and love.

Who do you need to share a heart-shaped lunch with this week?