No Way! Ain't Going There!

Food and Music. Everyone has a strong opinion about foods they like and foods they hate. And it does not follow a clear logic-line. The same is true about music, especially in the church. People really, really like choral music with organ accompaniment or really, really hate it. People really, really like music sung from memory with a heavy percussive beat or they just can't stand it and will walk out of worship. But most folks will agree that these are personal opinions and preferences and not matters of fact and certitude.
When it came to Peter and food, however, it was a matter of salvation, history, tradition and Scripture. Leviticus 11 clearly described the foods Jews should never, ever, ever, never eat. It was God's commandment and law. Eat those foods and you are dirty, unclean and OUT! The foods Peter ate were part of his personal, family and community identity.
And God gave him a dream of foods he had never even considered eating....and God told him to get up, kill and eat. No Way! Nothing Doing! Not Going There! Then God said "What I have cleansed you will not make unclean!" Any questions? 3 times God gave Peter that dream and set of commandments before he got it.
So, are we called to eat new foods? Maybe. But the deeper point is we are called to welcome in new people, people we never ever considered reaching out to. Who might those ones be who God is bringing to your front door?