I was recently asked to write a story in 200 words or less describing the best or the worst thing that happened to me that day. This is what I wrote – in some ways, it was both the best and the worst, all wrapped into one experience. {and yes, it’s less than 200 words – no small feat for me!}
“Mommy, look at these!” he says, holding out the package of unblemished mushrooms for me to admire. Such pristine vegetables are a rarity amid the withered lettuce, brown bananas and squishy cucumbers piled onto the table — food that’s past its prime, expired, rejected by those who have a choice.
“I’ll take those, young man.” Noah turns toward the man with the weathered, flushed face. The cuffs of his jeans are ragged, and he leans heavily on a cane, but his smile is kind. “They’re really fresh,” Noah says, gently placing the small container in the cart.
“Why do the people only get the yucky, wilty food?” Rowan asks as we drive home from the distribution center. “Well,” I pause. “Well, because that’s the food nobody else wants. People who have enough money buy the best vegetables in the store, so the ones we gave out tonight are the leftovers,” I answer.
Rowan is silent for a minute, staring into the darkness. “Do we get to buy the best?” he asks, leaning forward, the seat belt straining across his chest. “Yes, honey,” I answer, glancing at him in the rear view mirror. “We get to buy the best.”
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My Compassion blogger assignment this month is to write about what giving Biblically looks like in today’s culture. This story is an interesting answer to that question. On one hand, I am grateful to the Lincoln grocery stores for donating such huge quantities of food to our city’s poor. On the other hand, Rowan’s question is a perceptive and difficult one: why do poor people only get the leftovers that no one else wants? Why don’t we skim off the top of our resources to care for the least of these, instead of from the bottom, after every one of our own myriad needs is met?
Thanks to my seven-year-old, I’m struggling with the answers to those questions myself. In the meantime, though, I want to offer you a small but meaningful way you can positively impact a person who is desperately in need this season. Purchase a gift from a wide range of choices in Compassion’s Holiday Gift Catalog — a meal, medicine, seeds, a goat — and make a very real difference today.
Thank you!!
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Yes, sweet Rowan, I’ve asked myself the very same question many a time. “Why do we get the best, while the leftovers and dis-cards go to the poor? Why do people send their torn and stained clothes to the poor of Africa? Are they not deserving of the very best we can send?” We need to churn our ‘giving’ up a few notches. All of us probably have something ‘brand new’ in our closets that we’ve never even worn. Or how about donating fresh fruits and vegetables just before the Christmas hampers leave our churches for the needy in our own communities instead of canned goods and Kraft dinner packages? Food for thought?
I really like your idea about giving fresh fruit and vegetables. The only problem is that I’m not sure they’d take them…don’t the food drives always ask for non-perishables.
Our church planted a huge community garden this year for the first time, and donated all the fresh produce (and it was A LOT) to the local Food Bank. Can you imagine the need that would be served if every church did the same, even if it was just a small garden?
I’m thinking maybe you and I were in the same crowd with that little assignment. You did a far better job than I did with it. I wrote about wrestling with our Christmas tree!! Congrats on making the cut, kiddo. I was nonplussed, actually, and don’t expect to get much further. Fun, though!
Well I haven’t made “the cut” yet – I have to do a Skype interview today (my first time on Skype – gulp!!).
Yeah, me, too – next week. I’m not sure I like being pitted against someone I love. (And I’m fully aware that ‘pitted against’ is way too strong – I just couldn’t come up with a better set of words. So exactly why am I being interviewed? Sheesh.)
This is one of my favorite question(s) to ask people. What is the best and hardest part of your day? life? Christmas? church? marriage? etc.
Fondly,
Glenda
It really did get me thinking – right when I saw the question I knew immediately what I wanted to write about. I had just gotten home from the food distribution center and opened my email to that question — I knew it was both the best part and the worst part of my day.
I’m a big fan of short, little posts with a big message. This could totally be due to my attention span! Ha. Life has kept me busy, and I have forgotten how much I like your little space in the world, MD. Hope you are well!