Living Food

Ministering through the belly and into the Spirit

Living Food

            Christ has given us a desire to share the Bread of Life across the lines of racial, economic, and cultural barriers that man has made to stop the Gospel from fully reconciling man to God and man to man. These barriers fly in the face of the grace and freedom that Christ promises since they are based on fear, control, and power. Reconciliation across these barriers is not an optional aspect of the Gospel but a God given directive revealed to us through Jesus Himself.

            When we moved into our neighborhood we made a commitment to share only food that we would feed our own children. We decided not to try and fit in with the norm by feeding a steady stream of junk food to the neighborhood but would practice true love even if they denied it. If we were not caring for the entire person, physical, mental, and spiritual then we were not truly caring. Believe me when I say it was a cause for concern when we first moved into our community. Would they laugh at our offerings, would they turn them down and run away disgusted, would it block further communication? On the contrary the children in our community were so excited about our healthy food that they turn down the junk food that they are accustomed to receiving and take delight in the apples, pears, oranges and bananas we hand out on our playground. We inadvertently attracted the neighborhood gang to our apartment door, requesting fruit and water at all hours of the day. Children as young as three years old were knocking on our door requesting healthy food with smiling faces and runny noses. At times, there would be so many children coming through our walkway that management requested no loitering and no hanging out on the front stoop. Live food proved to be so nurturing, beneficial, and complete that we have never had one kid complain, but often call out to us as we come in the apartment for one more apple or orange. Live food is cheap, accessible, and convenient and in our neighborhood there is a huge felt need for such things. As we minister to their little bellies God brings them for family worship, church outings, and just being around the neighbors who care.

            We also take the community children to see firsthand the variety of fresh produce available from around the world at the Dekalb Farmer’s Market. Daily we hear the question, “When are you going to the farmer’s market?” and “Can we go?” Most trips to the market we carry a group of children piled in the backseat of our car wondering out loud what new treasures they will unearth. We allow the children to pick out a new, interesting, or favorite item to take home to share with their family, and we load up on the neighborhood favorites so that we can continue to prepare ways to share the Bread of Life. Many times in life we do what we do because we have never seen any other way, in fact often we don’t even question how we do things, even when the things we do are self-destructive patterns learned through our environment. When people witness that you care about them they often reciprocate by caring about themselves.

            Success in these efforts led us to print invitations for our entire neighborhood to enjoy a watermelon and peach bash. We asked the Good News Atlanta team to come out and support us and as we loaded up the gazebo with watermelons and peaches, our neighbors new and old came out to enjoy the wonderful feast. Many brought plastic bags to fill up and carry home all the while asking who and why anyone would throw such a nice party. The opportunity opened for me to share part of my testimony to the women who were enjoying conversation with us under the gazebo. I explained how I gained a better understanding of God's love for me by reading Steps to Christ and I was able to pass along treasured copies into eager, open hands.

            The natural person does not accept the things of God, they are foolishness to him. (1 Cor. 2:14.) Most people are more aware of their natural needs than their spiritual, so as we move out into our community that is where we try to meet them. As we follow Christ, invading our neighbor’s space, we allow God to bring about conversations about Him. Perhaps you’ve been given an idea on how to reach out to one of your neighbors? Maybe it appeared to have nothing to do with sharing the Gospel? Maybe you put it out of your mind hoping to find another avenue because it appeared too simple? Next time you are given one of those thoughts, follow through, and see where God is leading. It may be just the way that He has prepared!

 Just following through,

Stacy