Over the past two weeks our church has been collecting food for a sister church of ours in the Brethren in Christ church, Harrisburg BIC. They are located downtown and have a food pantry servicing the impoverished in downtown Harrisburg. Normally we have a food collection Sunday the first Sunday of the month. However, the last time our folks were down there they were having to turn people away because of the lack of food, so one of our folks felt the need to do something more and to make the need well known.
Today we took three carloads full of food over to their food pantry. The response from our folks was amazing. I had the privilege of stocking the empty shelves at the food pantry. At one point I was almost in tears. I was thinking about how I have a great dinner each night (my wife's a GREAT cook!!!). My kids (at least two) have all the diapers they need. We have the ability to brush our teeth every night. I'm looking at these shelves realizing 40 families depend on help from this pantry.
Oftentimes those of us who aren't in those situations of need feel guilty for where we are. Let me encourage you, the guilt is not necessary. It's self imposed. Don't feel bad about what you have. However, you must realize that what you have is not all yours. You have the ability to give not only out of your abundance but you have the privilege of giving in sacrifice. So you give up a Starbucks coffee a week (or perhaps a day) to provide some food...or something to that effect.
The temptation for us in affluent suburbia is to give without it making us think and change our own lifestyle. Because someone lives in poverty changes how I live. It changes my attitude. It changes how I spend my money. It changes how I look at my house (not having to keep up with the Jones' so much). Giving is one thing, but allowing the giving to change you is another...and I think this is what must happen in each of us as we think we're 'helping' others.
We may never meet the people we help. They may never meet us. But the action of giving should somehow change both the one who gives and the one who receives.
