For I do not mean that others should be eased and you burdened, but that as a matter of fairness your abundance at the present time should supply their need, so that their abundance may supply your need, that there may be fairness. As it is written, “Whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack.”
2 Corinthians 8:13-15
I am the “large group leader” of about 30-40 children, aged 3 years to 6th grade on Sunday mornings between services. I have 30 minutes with them give or take depending upon the pastor’s sermon. The first 10 minutes is devoted to singing. The second 10 minutes is devoted to the Bible story. The last 10 minutes I use as I see fit.
The children’s offerings for this quarter will be going to Feed My Starving Children. Our church will be hosting a MobilePak where we need 500 volunteers and $24,000 in order to prepare 100,000 meals for starving children most likely in a third world country. This is where my extra 10 minutes has been going.
The first week, I ate a Big Kids Happy Meal in front of the children. Double cheeseburger, French fries with globs of ketchup and a Coke – all for $3.55 not including tax, time and gas. We could have fed 16 children instead. I challenged them to skip their Happy Meal for a week and bring in their 16 quarters instead.
Yesterday, I brought in my leftover cup from my Starbucks, venti, cinnamon dolce latte. Didn’t want to be hard on the children. They learn their habits from their parents. They were astounded that my coffee cost more than my Happy Meal. I still cannot believe it myself! I could have fed 20 starving children instead.
I really want to address that God has richly blessed us. And it’s not that we should never enjoy a Happy Meal again. But we need to share. And it doesn’t take much to save a life. I told them that I had at least enjoyed my coffee in fellowship with a dear friend, but perhaps next time we should have a McDonald’s $1.53 cup of coffee. Or better yet – stay home and make some coffee.
The hardest thing for me is that it is difficult to be radically generous when we are surrounded by the American Dream especially if it is in the guise of Christianity. There are generations of us who have been raised to have both Jesus and the Dream in parallel fashion. I really don’t want my children growing up confused. That is where I have ended up.
“Do you love me? Feed my lambs … Do you love me? Tend my sheep … Do you love me? Feed my sheep”
From John 21:15-17 (ESV)
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