The Jesus Chair

Our daily lifestyles reveal who we are, and what is important to us. I once read about a business traveler to China who was puzzled by something in the house of a rural family he frequently visited. He noticed that there was always an extra, empty chair sitting at the family dinner table. He soon discovered that the chair was not empty at all – it was reserved for Jesus! Nobody in the family ever sat in it, for it was very special indeed.

Before You Sit Down

While reading about this, the thought of a chair for Jesus would not leave me. After giving it some consideration, I realized that we had an extra chair we could bring to the table. It is a lovely antique chair which we used to just throw clothing over in our bedroom.

Now it has a very special significance in our home. It has become our Chair for Jesus. After I set the dinner table, I go to the fireplace where it sits at an angle, and slide the chair up to the table. Bringing it over to the table each day helps me to re-focus my attention on its’ purpose- inviting Jesus to be with us.

See Him Sitting There!

Visualizing the Savior sitting next to us is really powerful. For in truth, Jesus is always with us! The more whole-heartedly we welcome Him to our family table, the more keenly aware we are of His presence!

We have discovered that imagining Jesus sitting at our table guides our conversation. We don’t want to say things that would displease Him. We don’t want to argue and fuss. We don’t want to complain and be ungrateful. A glance at the chair reminds us to think about our words before we speak them.

Having a Chair for Jesus helps us to grow in thoughtfulness and grace.

Teach the Little Ones

I love sharing this with our grandchildren when they visit. I remind them that Jesus is invited to our table, as we give thanks for our food. The first time our three-year-old granddaughter heard about the chair, she squinted at it very curiously, trying with all her might to see Our Savior sitting there!

Our grandchildren are learning at a young age that welcoming Jesus into our home is very important to us. They are perhaps a bit more aware that He is truly with us, even though we don’t see Him!

This is what it means to believe.

Share Him With Your Guests

We continue the tradition when guests have a meal with us. Whether or not our guests are Christian, we always bring the chair to the table to welcome Jesus. The act of including Jesus in our dinner party is a way to show how much He means to us. On several occasions we have smiled with our guests as they remarked with surprise, “Oh! I get to sit next to Jesus!”

It is an honor, indeed!

What are You Waiting For?

Our Chair for Jesus is the most handsome chair in the house. It’s an antique, actually, and looks rather like a throne! We love using this one. However, the purpose of having a chair for Jesus is certainly not about the beauty of the chair. It’s about the beauty and majesty of our King!

If you don’t have an extra chair that you’d like to use, your family may enjoy shopping for one together. Whether it comes from a yard sale, thrift store, or retail shop, the experience will make a memorable impact on your children when you say, “Come on kids, we’re shopping for a chair for the King!”

Once chosen, decide as a family where you will place the chair and where you will pull it up to the table. If necessary, re-arrange some things in the house so that you might find a special spot for it.

Then invite Jesus to dinner!


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