I still remember the sound of the checkout beeps as my mum and I bought the floral cutlery from Wilko for Fresher’s week.
I’d spent probably too much time making decisions over what cutlery would be the best option for me. There were plain sets, silver sets, plastic sets, 12 piece sets, 24 piece sets, and ones covered in flowers.
To some, it was a set of cutlery, but to me, it was the first choice I had made since being accepted into university on results day, and my choice mattered.
What I invested in mattered.
When I hosted meals in my tiny kitchen in my halls of residence, the floral cutlery
would make an appearance and my guests would smile at my selection.
“This is so cute!” some would say.
“Why didn’t you just get a plain set?” others would question.
“They’ll probably just get stolen.”
Not everyone understood, but despite the questions and the smiles around the dinner table, the little blue and green flowers imprinted on their fork handles made them smile. My choice, as small as it was, made a friend smile.
My choice mattered. What I invested in mattered.
Over time, I would come to be known as the girl who invited people in to have dinner with the floral cutlery set and the Pinterest inspired home décor and the window seat covered in cushions.
The choice I made shortly after results day helped to cultivate an attitude that continued throughout my 3 years at university.
An attitude that invited people in. An attitude that required extra seating on a bay window ledge through the vast number of students entering the front door. An attitude that reflected Jesus’ heart for calling His children home. From the window seat in my living room and the dining table in the kitchen, conversations transitioned from worry to hope, fear to freedom, death to life.
From that first trip to Wilko, I made a choice. The purchase of the floral cutlery was
simply a starting block to adopting an attitude of hospitality, and through hospitality,
spaghetti bolognaise dinner parties and spirit-led conversations, hope arises. We
spoke of Jesus, of forgiveness, of healing, of life. Real, true life.
I had a choice. You have a choice.
Whether you choose floral cutlery or a plain set, a 12 piece set or a 24, you have a choice, and your choice matters. We chose to challenge an ever – pressing culture of hopelessness by simply following Jesus’ instruction to ‘feed my lambs’, one spaghetti bolognaise served with a floral cutlery set at a time.
