Parakalein

As I was walking I began to imagine Jesus feeding all the hungry people in the world.  He asked all of us who have food to share what we have with those who have not so that everyone would have plenty to eat.  Then when the clean up crew came on the scene there would be more clean up than what we started with.

So what is the miracle I thought.  It was that they all were fed because those who had were willing to sacrifice what they had and because they were willing to give up what they had it was multiplied and all were blessed and fed.  The Self, the true spiritual self separate from the self-serving self, the balanced self that cares for others as it cares for itself with full acceptance, compassion, courage, and in total peace and calm.  If from this spiritual center we let go of all our prejudices, our particular theologies, our preferential status, and our pandering to certain groups, what would happen?

When Jesus came into the synagogue and on the Sabbath defied the "prejudices of piety" it was a shake down and a shake up.  He was shaking them down from thinking that they were "God's chosen".  God did choose the Jews to serve a particular purpose but never to be God's favorite people for God has no favorites.  God can bestow favor on people but that does not make them God's favorite people.  That is what feeds the ego of the religious people and the spiritual heart can go unchanged or even untouched.

God is asking us to give up the "food we have" so that all can eat of the food God has for all.  When  you give up what you have you always get back more than you gave.  The scraps that you collect are a statement of the miracle that comes when you are willing to sacrifice.

When I give out compassion and care without agenda and with acceptance the hunger of humanity is satisfied and the left over scraps will fill everyone.

Jim Elliot said, "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose".  As powerful and truthful as I think that is I would add another dimension.

"He is no fool who gives up and out what he could keep to himself, to spread the food of favor with all humanity in which everyone wins".

What is given in giving loving acceptance and appreciation to others is the food of kindness which will feed all and will have a loving spill over.