In seminary we each came up with our metaphor of ministry. Of course, mine was food-themed. I thought about “church potlucks,” but that’s too literal to be a metaphor! Instead I wrote about the Indonesian dish gado gado.

Gado gado is fresh, steamed and/or boiled vegetables alongside eggs and tofu or tempeh. The peanut sauce is essential. Ironically, rice may be served with gado gado, even though the name means “eaten without rice.”

Platters of baked and sliced potato, lightly steamed cabbages and other greens, fried tofu, sliced carrots and cucumbers, hardboiled eggs, crunchy beansprouts and even bitter gourd, if you can find it, mean that everyone at the table gets to eat what they like. Pluck up your favorites to pile onto your plate, spoon on as much (or as little) peanut sauce as you like, and each person gets to share one meal, prepared just for them.

This was my metaphor of ministry — radical hospitality and inclusion. Everyone has a place at the table and food that serves their body and tastes. Unity through diversity.

And even while this all sounds naive 13 years later, I believe it still!

After this I looked, and there was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, robed in white, with palm branches in their hands. (Rev. 7:9)

I’m sending this article to Anabaptist World days before the election, but you’ll read it after the election. I’m preaching this Sunday, too. I tell myself I won’t write that sermon until after Tuesday, but I already know what I’m going to say.

Because as much as the results matter —and they matter immensely — the results don’t change what is true. The election does not change our call as disciples.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” There is no other commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:31b)

The president and vice president and coups or attempted coups do not change my allegiance to radical hospitality, unity through diversity, a place for each person at the table with a meal they can eat and enjoy.

Will you be sharing holiday meals with people who voted differently than you? I will, and as usual, I have butterflies in my stomach when I think about it. Last week as our local extended family sat around the table, my cousin declared, “There’s no FEMA money left to help the people in Florida and North Carolina.” I tried a micro-contradiction: “My friend in Asheville says she’s getting help from her neighbors and also from FEMA.” He looked dubious.

We’d already finished eating, so it was too late to lose my appetite.

I still believe in unity through diversity and a place for everyone at the table. Yet gado gado has boundaries. It’s a savory dish. You don’t serve pudding or cupcakes on these platters.

All the people I know, the ones who voted like me and the ones who didn’t, feel like we’re righteous minorities. The pluralism I celebrate in my metaphor of ministry leads (inevitably?) to our conundrum: We have found our place at the table and picked out the foods we like, but we’re stopped reaching toward the shared platter and looking each other in the eye,  at least not often enough to believe we belong together anymore.

In that renewal there is no longer Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and free; but Christ is all and in all! (Col. 3:11)

All living within three hours of each other and where we all grew up, this family will get together for Thanksgiving and then for Christmas. We’ll try not to talk about FEMA again.

How can our mealtimes save us from isolation and extremism?

Come, Lord Jesus, be our meal, our host, and our guest. Transform us, today and then again tomorrow. Amen.

Gado gado for 8

Ingredients

2-4 potatoes (more, if you are not using rice)
2 cups green beans, and/or other vegetables that appeal to you
4 eggs, hard or soft cooked
1 head Napa cabbage, or ½ small head cabbage
1 bell pepper, red/yellow/orange to add more color
other vegetables that appeal to you
1 block of tofu, optional
1 cup rice, optional

For peanut sauce: 
3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter
3 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce or coconut aminos
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (adjust to tastes; if you have a variety of opinions, make a spicy version and a mild version)
Hot water to achieve sauce consistency
Fresh cilantro
Roasted peanuts

Instructions

1. Steam or boil potatoes, green beans, other vegetables that appeal to you. Boil eggs.

2. Lightly steam cabbage, bell pepper and/or vegetables. You can also keep the vegetables raw, if you prefer that.

3. Cook 1 cup rice, if using. Sauté 1 block tofu, if using.

4.  To make peanut sauce, combine natural salted peanut butter, tamari sauce, lime juice, maple syrup and chili garlic sauce. Add hot water to achieve sauce consistency. Top with fresh cilantro and roasted peanuts. 

5. Arrange vegetables, eggs and tofu on platters for maximum color variety. Serve rice, sauce and toppings in bowls.

6. Give each eater a plate and enjoy piling on your favorites.