I enjoy the companionship of a Malawian sister each weekend (sadly not these past 2). And during this pandemic, her presence revealed my inadequate understanding of the other. The suffering. The poverty. Daily life.
I consider myself an empathic person. Yet I come up lacking in this; I have never experienced poverty. Or wondered if my basic needs would be met. My current “suffering”? Less access to fresh produce. Half my usual beans and lentils. The contemplation of rag usage should the pursuit of toilet paper prove unsuccessful.😳
When I asked my Malawian sister what she ate each day, she replied, “Oh, with some cornmeal, onion, tomato, and cabbage, I am so satisfied and happy!” Really?... Satisfied? Happy? She even said “content”. What a picture. Her family lives in an impoverished country. And yet she is content and happy with the little she is able to secure.
In the middle of a pandemic, well known Scriptures take on new meaning. Often our hearts become more open and teachable. And the disconnect between what we say we believe. And how we actually live. Becomes glaringly obvious.
Matt 6:11 “Give us this day our daily bread.”
Our daily bread. Daily. No more. No less.
My hope is that we grasp the significance of living out this Truth. It would change our communities. People could grocery shop without standing in long lines in the early morning. Employees could help customers find items; instead of perpetually saying “sorry, that is out of stock”. Pictures with angry, sad, and bewildered captions would cease to crowd our newsfeeds.
If you know Jesus; then I invite you to join me in being like Jesus in the pandemic. We can pray before we grocery shop. We can ask; what is my daily bread? It is probably a lot less than we believe it to be. At least that is what my Malawian sister and the Holy Spirit helped me discover. And I’m humbled and thankful they did.
