Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up towards heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread and fish to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people.
Once during a class I attended at Harvard Divinity School Summer Leadership Institute(SLI), founded by late Pastor Emeritus, Dr. Charles G. Adams, a respected and renown pastor, Rev. Dr. Floyd Flake who was also an instructor, said to students that when you meet the needs of church members, the community, the public, people whose needs are being met will respond, begin participating more actively in church programs and you will witness an increase in attendance,and, eventually giving. I have seen this happen and I am a living testament to its truth.
I often associate this dynamic with the line in the movie "Field of Dreams", "if you build the field the players will come. If folks are hungry and without food, you need to find ways to feed them. Start a hunger program, install a food pantry. If people are homeless, build a housing project or until that project is completed and they have immediate needs for shelter, find them safe, clean and affordable shelter in the interim.
If members are jobless, and without gainful means of income, start a jobs program, something that will tide them over and connect them with tangible and productive channels of income so they can feed themselves, pay for homes and lead prosperous lives. If they are lacking in health care, not able to pay for services not covered by insurance, start a program that will serve as a bridge between what they don't have and what the insurance carrier will provide until they can find more substantial health coverage(note: this message was originally written in 2016 before the passage of the ACA).
Often the response to requests for jobs, for higher wages, for higher standards of living, etc., is that there is no money...it's just not in the budget barring cutting through any bureaucratic and administrative red tape. But if you dig deep enough and search hearts profoundly and thoroughly there may be a surprising discovery. It usually boils down to individual ideologies and opinions about just how money should be allocated and spent. Just look at congress and the budget deficits and wars governments go through in efforts to distribute resources to the public fairly, equitably and economically. Trillions of dollars are in play.
But, there are always resources. In the words of the 23rd Psalm, "He anointed my head with oil, my cup runneth over..." "Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be poured into your lap. For the measure you give, it will be given to you." Luke 6:38.
God is an infinite supply. God is the initial and ultimate source. The alpha, the omega, the first, the last, the everything god! People are still wondering to this day how Jesus fed the crowd of over 5,000 with five loaves and two fish. Well...
Children are starving in far away lands in Gaza, in Sudan and other hot spots of conflict across the globe and even here at home. Federal workers are out of work, government services have been curtailed, cut back or completely shut down. People here and allies abroad are seriously worried about the fate of our economy. One false move and we could end up like Humpty Dumpty. Time to start a movement of love, sharing, giving, political understanding and hugs. Hold that thought.
All we need is love. If only it were that simple. Yet after all is said and done and the proverbial dust has settled maybe that is the one ingredient--a main one at that--which has gone missing far too long from our communities and the political arena much too often filled with political correctness, pride filled leaders, overly harsh public debate and inadequate man made budgets. Perhaps all we could use about now is a love transfusion, infusion and ingestion of it as medicine in a heavy dose.
With love and compassion filled hearts and conscientious sharing maybe everyone's needs would be met. The hungry would be fed, the homeless would be housed and those unemployed and without adequate material resources would gain jobs and money to meet their primary needs of food, shelter and clothing.
"Now, ignited by God's ever present,omniscient, omnipotent love. Love is a blessing from God, the true currency of the universe. Love can not be bought unless you love what you buy, because love is the currency. Let it flow..."*
Amen.
Peace and blessings,
Rev. Cynthia Wilson, Blog Founder & Chief Editor
*Excerpt from Cynthia Wilson's poem entitled "Love is the Currency"
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