Feeding Our People

Matthew 24:45 – “Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has put in charge over all his household, to give the other servants their allowance of food at the proper time?”

“To give them their allowance of food at the proper time.” That is a kind of short-hand for all that servants, or let’s be real, slaves, were expected to do whether their master was there or not. it’s a good short-hand for what we, as Christians, are expected to do while the master, Jesus, is not here physically.

And for a nominally Christian country with all those Christians in the legislature, somehow we still have people for whom we are not providing food at the proper time – or at all. We have many people – even elderly people – who have to choose between food and medication every month, because the health and well-being of our citizens is not important to, again let’s be real, Republicans. We do not pay disabled people, people who cannot work enough to live on. This is true in every state and it is a disgrace.

Sure, a couple of chapters further on, Jesus says we’ll always have the poor with us, but that statement is a condemnation of our inability to follow Gods laws rather than permission to not do anything to help them. Jesus here is quoting Deuteronomy 15:11. Yet, a few verses earlier, in Deuteronomy 15:4-5, God says this: “There will, however, be no one in need among you, because YHWH is sure to bless you in the land that YHWH your God is giving you as a possession to occupy, if only you will obey YHWH your God by diligently observing this entire commandment that I command you today” (italics and bolding mine). God is specifically talking about the Jubilee year, in which ALL debts were forgiven and the land restored to its original owners. This was to ensure continuation and prosperity for all the people – not just the luckiest or most sneaky.

Human beings didn’t have enough empathy to follow that command then, and we certainly don’t have it now. The policy violence of the new, stricter work requirements for SNAP eligibility will kick approx. 700,000 of the program. Some of them will die. Republicans don’t see to understand how bad the economy is for most people. According to the graph at this YouTube site, 1% (one) of Americans own 40% of the wealth. This is partially the result of the recent “tax reform” that Republicans passed in 2017. Add to that the lack of jobs that pay a living wage, and the economy is terrible for 80% of the people in this country. This is tragic and disgraceful for a country who like to pretend that they are Christian. This administration is committing policy violence against its own people in addition to refugees. That is the opposite of “giving them their food at the proper time.”

As a nation, we have become immoral and evil in our attitudes and actions towards others. Jesus told us to love our neighbors, but as a nation, we are failing. Rather than loving others, this administration is hurting them. We can, and should do better, individually and as a nation.

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