Acts 10:7-13: a reflection

7When the angel who spoke to him had departed, Cornelius called two of his household servants and a devout soldier of those who waited on him continually. 8Having explained everything to them, he sent them to Joppa. 9Now on the next day as they were on their journey and got close to the city, Peter went up on the housetop to pray at about noon. 10He became hungry and desired to eat, but while they were preparing, he fell into a trance. 11He saw heaven opened and a certain container descending to him, like a great sheet let down by four corners on the earth, 12in which were all kinds of four-footed animals of the earth, wild animals, reptiles, and birds of the sky. 13A voice came to him, “Rise, Peter, kill and eat!”

As God prepares to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, he gives Peter a vision that challenges his deepest assumptions. Peter, praying on a rooftop, sees a sheet let down from heaven full of all kinds of animals, including those he had always regarded as unclean, forbidden; and a voice says, Rise, Peter, kill and eat. To Peter, raised to keep the distinction between clean and unclean, this was startling, even offensive; but God was overturning the categories Peter had held, preparing him to see that those he had regarded as unclean, outsiders beyond the reach of God's welcome, were now to be received. God was challenging Peter's narrow categories about who was acceptable.

Notice how God challenged Peter's assumed categories of clean and unclean. Peter had firm categories: some things, and some people, were clean, acceptable; others were unclean, to be kept at a distance. But God, in the vision, overturned those categories, telling Peter to receive what he had regarded as unclean. The vision was preparing Peter to receive the Gentiles, whom he had regarded as outsiders, unclean, beyond the circle of God's people; God was showing him that his narrow categories about who was acceptable did not match God's own wide welcome. What Peter had called unclean, God was cleansing; the boundaries Peter had held were not God's boundaries. God was enlarging Peter's narrow view of who belonged.

That is worth taking to heart, for God can challenge and overturn our narrow categories about who is acceptable to him. We can hold firm categories about who is acceptable, who belongs, who is inside and who is outside, regarding some as beyond the circle of God's welcome, as Peter regarded the Gentiles; but God challenged Peter's categories, showing him that his boundaries were not God's. God's welcome is wider than our narrow categories; he receives those we might exclude. Do not hold too firmly to narrow categories about who is acceptable to God, excluding those you regard as outsiders; God's welcome is wider, and he can overturn your categories, as he did Peter's. Let God challenge and widen your narrow categories about who is acceptable to him, as he showed Peter not to call unclean what God had cleansed, preparing him to receive the Gentiles; for God's welcome is wider than our boundaries, and he can overturn the narrow categories by which we exclude those he is ready to receive.

Lord, as you prepare to bring the gospel to the Gentiles, you give Peter a vision that challenges his deepest assumptions. Peter, praying on a rooftop, sees a sheet let down from heaven full of all kinds of animals, including those he had always regarded as unclean; and a voice says, rise, Peter, kill and eat. To Peter, raised to keep the distinction between clean and unclean, this was startling; but you were overturning the categories Peter had held, preparing him to see that those he had regarded as unclean, outsiders beyond the reach of your welcome, were now to be received. Show me how you challenged Peter's assumed categories of clean and unclean. Peter had firm categories: some things, and some people, were clean, acceptable; others were unclean, to be kept at a distance. But you, in the vision, overturned those categories, telling Peter to receive what he had regarded as unclean. The vision was preparing Peter to receive the Gentiles, whom he had regarded as outsiders. You were showing him that his narrow categories did not match your own wide welcome. The boundaries Peter had held were not your boundaries. Take that to my heart, for you can challenge and overturn my narrow categories about who is acceptable to you. I can hold firm categories about who is acceptable, who belongs, who is inside and who is outside, regarding some as beyond the circle of your welcome, as Peter regarded the Gentiles; but you challenged Peter's categories. Your welcome is wider than my narrow categories. Keep me from holding too firmly to narrow categories about who is acceptable to you, excluding those I regard as outsiders; your welcome is wider, Lord. Let me be willing to have you overturn my categories, as you did Peter's, preparing him to receive the Gentiles.