Living in the Spirit
July 28, 2018
Scripture Reading: John 6:1-21
After this Jesus went to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, also called the Sea of Tiberias. A large crowd kept following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing for the sick. Jesus went up the mountain and sat down there with his disciples. Now the Passover, the festival of the Jews, was near. When he looked up and saw a large crowd coming towards him, Jesus said to Philip, ‘Where are we to buy bread for these people to eat?’ He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he was going to do. Philip answered him, ‘Six months’ wages would not buy enough bread for each of them to get a little.’ One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, ‘There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish. But what are they among so many people?’ –John 6:1-9
Healing the sick, feeding the hungry according to the stories in the gospels of Jesus was the way Jesus invested much of his time. There were plenty of sick and hungry in the first century. The sad thing is plenty still exists today. When Jesus noted that the poor will always be with us*, I think, he was observing more human failure to address the needs of others rather than describing a natural occurrence. According to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Need when people are in survival mode, their attention is grounded in meeting basic needs, and they are not easily distracted with great philosophical ideas or the threat of hell, fire, and damnation when as far as they can tell they are already there. What people in poverty lack is hope and hope is often born out of food for the belly and relief from pain accompanied by a healthy dose of love. The gift of hope lets them know they have a choice regarding their futures.
While to my knowledge Jesus never said it, the rich will always be with us also and those who invest much of their time and energy in becoming rich. They too sometimes live in the same survival mode as those in poverty, afraid that someone will take their wealth away or become richer than they are. The rich in many ways are as lost as those without food or health care. Some live behind walls of insecurity and gates of exclusion. The difference is the rich are there by choice. It does not have to be that way. We have great examples of wealthy people doing justice throughout the world.
Most of us fall somewhere between poverty and wealth, but we all must choose what kind of world in which we want to live. I for one like the idea of everyone having enough. Indeed, that includes enough to meet basic needs, but it also means enough safety and security, friendship and love, self-esteem, and reaching our full potential. I see that as becoming the people God created us to be and that requires all of us to work to assure that is the reality of all of us.
Prayer: God of Enough, you provided enough manna in the wilderness for each of those escaping the oppression of Egypt. As we are made in your image, help us to recognize our call to assure enough manna for everyone. Amen
*Matthew 26:11 and Mark 14:7