The New Green: a trail of groceries on the parking lot
Kindness is the new green.
Reading the story of Ruth, the intentional practice of gleaning is kind of like leaving a trail of groceries across the parking lot on the way to your car. It is the new green– keeping other humans alive. In biblical times it was an intentional practice of farmers who didn’t harvest all the crop, but left some for those who were struggling. We are living in a season when 35 million Americans are using food stamps, nearly 10% are employed, and a pastor friend that I met shared about his town with 28% unemployment. Is there a lesson here for us?
Pastor Rob Seagears of the Potomac District of the AG, shared with me about his work with church planters and how he is telling them all that they need to make sure they “work with the poor” and that kingdom minded thinking always starts by helping those who are on the margins of society. During an economic season like this, how could we not create intentional space, a trail of groceries so to speak?
I was reading some academic work about this topic today and found three categories of people who find themselves in tough economic times: some are the “content” they accept their “lot” in life; others are the “temporary” who see this as just a season that they are passing through and the third group are those who are among the “discontent.” They are people who aren’t willing to live in the situation in which they find themselves, may have been pushed there through recent economic challenges or perhaps used to be content in their situation, but it has gotten much tougher. Do you help any of these three?
As I view the national Christian scene, I guess I am somewhat chagrined by the lack of focus on this part of our society– are their any groups that make the marginalized their focus? Of course I know some myself, but somehow I wonder if we are not missing perhaps the greatest American mission field by missing the harvest that comes by sharing the fruits of our labor.
Would you fill out the survey that is linked here, so that I can learn more about what you do as a community or ministry leader to help those who are struggling. I would love to share with others your great efforts and hope to hear from you via the survey.