Feeding the Hungry One Bag At a Time

Last night I was at a friend's and we bounced around a lot of ministry ideas. One of them was a passion we share: feeding the hungry. We both feel giving them money almost always only serves to feed some addiction. I don't want to fund their next drug purchase or pave the way for their next drunken haze. But, I am commanded to feed the hungry.

For years, I've put together food packets for the homeless. A gallon-size baggie works well. Last night, we bounced around ideas on what to include in these food packets. Tonight, I was thinking about it again and it dawned on me that this could be a great teaching tool for us to get a better handle on what it means to be without a home.

The next time you go to the grocery store, look for things you could eat if you were homeless. Remember, you wouldn't have a stove or refrigerator. Minimal food prep means hopefully some water. Probably not even a place to wash your hands.

As you walk down each aisle, look for items that would apply. No canned soup. Even if it has a pop top, they probably have no means to heat it up. Bread would only last a few days. Fruit would be nice but would you eat fruit offered by a stranger? Horror stories of nutcases spiking Halloween candy come to mind. Nope. I prefer factory sealed packaged food items.

OK, now let's carry this mindset around through the rest of the store. Like over in the toiletries department. Deodorant, soap, shampoo, lip balm, sun block... they are in our bathroom medicine cabinet. The homeless don't have a bathroom, much less a medicine cabinet.

Last night we tossed around some questions such as how far do we help the homeless? How do we balance grace and accountability? As I read my New Testament, I only hear Jesus commanding us to feed the hungry. No limit to those outside of the family of faith. Ah... but for our fellow church member, we're given the charge of: if you don't work, you don't eat! The implication to me is that a believer should get off his butt and work. But, what if he isn't able? What if he isn't functional whether by mental illness or some sort of substance abuse of his own making? At that point, I feel compelled to feed them.

Jesus never said to donate to the hungry. He did say to feed them. And love them, possibly one gallon baggie at a time.