We had a day-long retreat yesterday exploring ways to read the Bible and at the end of the day, we had a lot of sandwiches and cans of pop left over. We kept encouraging people to take a lot home and many people took us up on that offer so that there were folks leaving the building with arms full of Coke and Potbelly’s sandwiches.
We still had a few left over and on my way home, I offered some people who were on the corner asking for money. I assumed they were homeless and asked if they wanted a sandwich. I did this with two individuals and they both accepted the offer of a half-sandwich. I said, “I’ve got more, do you want another half?”
They both said the exact same thing: “No, one is enough.”
I’ve been thinking about that a great deal. People who came to the retreat and have a home and know where their next meals are coming (and I include myself) were more than happy to take a lot of food. Which is what we wanted. But two men who may not have a place to stay and may not know where their next meals are coming from only took enough for the moment.
I certainly don’t intend to cast aspersions here on those who took a lot. I did, too. But I keep thinking about those men. Who took only enough.