It's About Enough

While some dive into dumpsters for scraps of food, others of us rid our refrigerators of stuff that went bad. Some of us have more than enough, and so it goes to waste. Which is why I loved a recent story on ABC news about a Pittsburgh dad, A. J. Owen, and his sons, who opened a food pantry in their front yard. Why? They wanted to help feed hungry neighbors. I don't know if they were literal neighbors, or the kind Jesus describes in the parable of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:25-37) Either way, they're neighbors.

The truth is that millions of our neighbors need SNAP benefits. I looked up SNAP. It's the government's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly Food Stamps. But, whatever it's called, there's enough food stockpiled. What some in authority seem to lack is not enough love to make the leap from love of self and power, to love of neighbor.

Consider Mother Teresa's observation, "We think sometimes that poverty is only being hungry, naked and homeless. The poverty of being unwanted, unloved and uncared for is the greatest poverty." No wonder Jesus stressed love. He condensed all the law into: "Love God with all your heart, soul and mind. And love your neighbor as you love yourself" (Matthew 22:36-40)

So, perhaps, the recent election results in NYC, New Jersey and Virginia signaled that many have had, "Enough!" Not enough food but enough hate and division. And that gives me hope. So, I applaud my granddaughter, Lily, for encouraging people to get out and vote. Then she voted for Mamdani, since Brooklyn's her home. At Lily's urging, I listened to some of Mamdani's speeches and interviews. It struck me that a young Muslim man ran on a very Christian platform. In many ways, love and compassion showed up and voted this week. And part of love is helping people afford to live life.

Well, it did my heart good to see Mamdani lifting up immigrants, as well as other ignored and misrepresented people. But, as a Christian, I wondered, how much do I really care about "the least of these"? You know, that ones Jesus says that whatever we've done to or for them, we''ve done for or to Jesus. (Matthew 25: 31-46)

Well, by now, I may need to reassure some that I'm neither a socialist nor a communist. I'm still an independent who is grateful to live in a democractic nation, even when it seems to be on shaky terms with itself. But I take hope from recent reminders that We the People. have clout.

So, thanks for reading, responding and staying connected. It's good to remember that Grace makes room at the table for everyone. You. Me. Them. Like I sing to my Grands, "I get enough of a lot of things, but I never get enough of you!" We don't have to agree on everything. But we do need to keep loving each other, listening and being willing to change where needed.

Which takes me back to that Dad in Pittsburgh. What a way to set an example for his two young sons and the rest of us. Imagine being part of the enough someone needs to make it through the day. And to trust God to provide the enough we lack.

That's love with sleeves rolled up. And that kind of love is more than enough to nourish our bodies and souls, as well as to heal our divided families, churches and nation.

So, lets roll up our sleeves.

Ready?

Set.

Love.

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