Eating Out or Eating In

Dining out involves attending a meal that exists apart from us. Whether we go to the restaurant or not, it will still exist and it will still prepare meals. If we decide to have dinner at home, however, we must be a full participant. A home cooked meal must be planned, the ingredients must be purchased and the food must be prepared. Without our participation, the home cooked meal does not exist.

Often times I think of homegroup as eating out. Whether I go or not, it will still exist. Homegroup will still be served. This is not a proper view. Even if it was the proper view, without patrons, even the best restaurant will close its doors. I believe that a proper view of homegroup is more like that of the home cooked meal. It cannot exist in the way it was intended without full participation. If I don’t plan my commitment, invest in others and prepare my heart for group, it cannot exist. This view also removes the excuse that, “Oh, if the cooking were different, I’d be sure to eat there”. If the meal does not suit my taste, it is not because I have gone to the wrong restaurant. Instead, I have eaten a meal that I poorly prepared.