Question:

Why does the Periodic Table look the way it does?

Why aren’t the rows even?

Why are some columns higher than others?

I’m glad you asked.

A long time ago… (1869 to be exact), in a galaxy not so far away… (technically it was Siberia. Which is a region in Russia. Which is on Earth. Which is part of the Milky Way. Which is our galaxy), … lived a very smart scientist by the name of Dmitri Mendeleev.

Mendeleev was responsible for for figuring out the arrangement of elements that we know today. He found that if he arranged the elements by their weight and chemical properties, certain patterns emerged. These patterns occurred periodically (thus the name Periodic Table) and Mendeleev noticed that there seemed to be “families” of elements that showed similarities. Because of the predictability of the patterns, Mendeleev was able to leave open spots in his table for elements that hadn’t even been discovered yet.

Pretty cool, right?

Each element has its very own spot in the table — a place where it belongs. I especially love this fact because it reminds me that, as God’s children, we too have a spot at the table.

And I’m not talking about the Periodic Table this time, but God’s table.

It’s a different, special table — one built on a cross and paid for with the body and blood of Jesus.

It’s a table with an open invitation. Jesus invites us to accept that invitation — to believe and come sit.

“The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son.”

Matthew 22:2

We are invited to come and sit with our brothers and sisters in Christ as precious sons and daughters of the most high God.

We belong at this table. There’s an open spot for everyone.

Bonus Fact: Element 101 (Md) is named Mendelevium after Dmitri Mendeleev.