REFLECTION
"For
the poor will never cease out of the land; therefore I command you, to open
wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in the land."Deuteronomy 15:11
"Food! Glorious food!" in
the musical adaption of Oliver Twist, Oliver and the other orphans sing
this song as their supposed care givers feast and the children are given gruel.
Charles Dickens wrote Oliver Twist in 1837-39. "At a time when
Britain was the major economic and political power of the world, Dickens
highlighted the life of the forgotten poor and disadvantaged within society.
Through his journalism he campaigned on specific issues—such as sanitation and
the workhouse—but his fiction probably demonstrated its greatest prowess in
changing public opinion in regard to class inequalities." (see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Dickens
)
As servants of Jesus Christ, small
and large congregations seek to ameliorate the suffering of the poor, such as
Unity Presbyterian Church does with its food pantry. Even such a simple mission
is not without challenges:
"Food pantries often find
themselves with too much of one ingredient and not enough of others for people
seeking a balanced diet. At the (Chicago) depository, 10 truckloads of canned
green beans just arrived. Canned corn — and peanut butter — are especially
scarce. To balance cost, nutrition and menu diversity, food banks buy groceries
that fill in the gaps, including core staples that have moderated in price,
such as rice. Filling the larder takes money. Keeping it filled takes more.
"
(see full story about Chicago Food
Pantries http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/opinion/editorials/ct-edit-food-0103-bd-20120103,0,6245351.story
)
Right now Unity is blessed with a
wonderful supply of frozen chicken and a donation from a local hunter of deer
meat. But we have to buy fruits and vetgetables now that our garden is not
producing. We also try to provide cleaning supplies to maintain ones home and
self.
Congregations are often the first
source of assistance for a families in crisis, but the systemic problems
persist. As believers, we need to encourage a wide range of support. Unethical
loaning can add terrible burdens in an already finanically limited home. Many
are without health care and others cannot afford deductables. Then there is a
culture of blame that has riddled our country with
either
an antagonistic view of the poor or apathy. Do poor people make bad choices?
Yes, just about the same as middle class or weathly people do. Blame does not
help anyone get better. Jesus could have played the blaming game, instead he
spent his life teaching people to love one another and to care for those in
need.
"If
you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you
will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." Matthew 19:21
