Saving a Place

The best part of my Easter was a post a friend put on Facebook for anyone looking:

Oh joyful day! If ya need a church buddy tomorrow, I'll be at the 10:30 & 11:40!

We all long for  someone to be glad we showed up.  Someone who’s “saving us a place”.  Someone who will miss us if we’re not there. 

It pains me when I see people alone at church, clutching an iphone, checking for messages, avoiding eye-contact, escaping to the bathroom…All in an effort to not feel so conspicuously alone.  Without a place to belong.

And sometimes that person is me.

It was me Saturday night when I got a text from another  friend saying “I’m SO excited to see you again!  I’m saving you a place!”

A place.  For me.  In a space where I felt very out of place and conspicuously alone. 

One of the best gifts we can give each other is a place in community.  Isn’t that kind of what Easter is about?  Jesus inviting everyone to enjoy a place at the table?  A place where they’re valued and loved?

So, inspired by these two friends, I’m trying to stop and notice others looking for a place. 

I’m trying to think of all the ways I can make sure they know they’re invited, they know they’ll be missed, and they know I can save them a place.