From the Pastor’s Pen – By Brian Horrobin
Kudos to a group of students from Boca Raton, Florida who have been planning for today to be a “National High School Dining Day” in their community.
The whole idea began a few years ago when one student, Denis Estimon, got tired of the lonely feeling he got each noon hour eating his lunch alone.
He started a lunch club called, “We Dine Together.”
Denis, now 18 and a senior at Boca Raton Community High School, has been joined by 60 other students.
Together, they seek out other students eating alone and pull up a chair beside them and initiate conversation to make them feel included.
What a fabulous idea!
This is a great example of The Golden Rule in action.
In Matthew 7:12 Jesus said, “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”
Unless you’ve been one of those shy, introverted kids who didn’t have many friends, you may not understand the magnitude of this gesture.
Even if a student had the nicest lunch in the whole cafeteria, what enjoyment would he/she have if they had to eat it alone?
Our church has a community meal once a month on a Saturday night, one of many such meals in our town.
I attend these meals and always make it my goal to find someone who is new, who may feel awkward because they do not know anybody, or who is sitting alone.
I grab my plate and plop myself down at an empty spot at their table.
I then just start up a simple conversation.
Do you know what I have found? People like to talk!
They also like telling you about their children, what sports teams they follow, and what their plans are that weekend.
Do you know why they are so forthcoming with this information? Simple – because some one cared enough to talk to them.
You may not be the social butterfly type, but a little effort can go a long way.
Maybe try this out this week if the opportunity presents itself.
Meal times at nursing homes are a hotbed of opportunity, by the way.
Dine with somebody who needs your company this week!
