You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies. (Psalm 23:5a)
Throughout the course of my Bipolar illness, I’ve been fortunate to have a steady stream of income, a way to “bring home the bacon”. More than this, I’ve been blessed with a steady wife who fries it up for me. I’m not ashamed to admit that we have found the traditional gender roles to work well in our relationship. In no way has this diminished my respect for her. I know full well how poorly I would function without her.
Too many persons with mental illnesses find themselves in positions where they don’t know where their next meal is coming from or with whom they might share it. Even those with material resources struggle with chaos in their lives that works against their need for constant structure. It helps me so much to know that breakfast is at 8, lunch at noon, and dinner at 5 (with little variation).
One thing faith communities can provide to serve those with mental illnesses is a good meal. And not just for the poor. A church I once served offered a free Christmas dinner to the community and found that more “volunteers” showed up than “customers”. These were mostly older and single adults looking for a way to battle the depression that often strikes on this holiday typically devoted to families.
When we have a meal prepared for us by people who care about us, the enemies of depression and other forms of mental distress can be held at bay by a strong sense of fellowship we can’t help but share as we gather around God’s table of grace.
