The New Jersey Housewives, from the reality TV show, have become somewhat famous for their explosive reactions, including flipping tables when upset.
Sometimes, we also would like to flip tables, perhaps because of frustration, anger, our own situations, or the current state of the world.
Jesus Himself flips tables in the temple. But His actions fundamentally differ from the anger impulses we often see today. Jesus' overturning the tables in the temple was a deliberate, prophetic gesture against those who treat the temple as a marketplace rather than a place of worship.
Jesus' act of flipping the tables was not just about expressing frustration. It was about cleansing, renewing, restoring, about setting things right. He flipped the table of deception, corruption, cheating, lying, and injustice and, in its place, set a new table—the table of justice, love, and sacrifice. At this new table, He offers neither doves nor sheep but Himself as food, inviting us to partake in the feast of the Kingdom of God.
We all have tables of sin, selfishness, pride, and complacency that need to be overturned. What tables do we need to flip in our own lives?
Flipping the table in our lives means letting go of habits, mindsets, attitudes, and sins that separate us from God and one another. Flipping the table in our lives means embracing a new way of living that reflects the love and sacrifice of Christ.
Flip the tables of our old selves and set a new table of love, sacrifice, and service, a new table where there is room and a seat for God and others. NQ