America and Food

I began to wonder this past weekend just how much of our lives are devoted to food. From what we are going to have for lunch to what kind frosting to top mom's birthday cake this year, our society spends days planning menus for holidays, birthdays, graduations or Saturday afternoon football games. We snack in between meals. We eat from our cars. We hide snacks in our desks (I know I am not the only one :) ). Our office mates bring donuts, pretzels, bagels and chocolate to share with everyone. When we visit some one's home as a guest, we provide them a box of chocolates, a bottle of wine; a gesture of our thanks on being invited. Churches have pot luck dinners where families bring hordes of covered dishes. After a graduation, wedding, or other special occasion in which more than two people are gathered, the general response is "let's go eat somewhere." Inevitably, we complain because we have eaten too much, we've gained too much weight this year, or we made too much food during our last cooking attempt at home. We join gyms, take diet pills, make new year's resolutions and keep a hefty supply of Tums and Pepto in our cabinets. But we continue to eat.

But what if we had nothing to eat. Not just a barren snack drawer at our desk, or the late night realization that we're out of our favorite ice cream. What is we went for days at a time wondering where our next meal was coming from? IF we were to find ourselves in this position, we'd call a friend, family, our church and be met with food beyond measure. But what if EVERYONE you knew was in the same position you were and there was no hope of finding food. I am not minimizing what is going on in our own country. This economic downturn has been hard on everyone, but we as Americans know that it will not last forever. Why? Because we have something almost no other country in the world has....HOPE. Imagine you have no hope. Why? Because you live in a slum or a tiny village a world away from parks, shopping malls and supermarkets.

Romans 12:14 says at the end of the verse, "Practice hospitality." My grandmother, Mary was known for her hospitality. A guest in her house was treated to more than just a meal, it was an experience. There was love, respect and HOPE found sitting at her table and having a meal with Nannie could change your life. You walked away from her table with a full belly and a different mind set over some hotly debated topic. She epitomized hospitality. Today, I challenge each of you to "practice hospitality." Go here and read about what is happening a world away from here and be changed. $.14 can buy one meal....ONE MEAL FOR ONLY FOURTEEN CENTS! Wow. That blows my mind. I pull more than fourteen cents out of my pocket after a day at work.