Matthew 25:31ff: Self-Denial Dinner

One April after a worship service at the Salvation Army in Swift Current, Saskatchewan we had a self-denial meal. We each bought tickets in advance to raise money for overseas mission. We had no idea of what would happen next...

Three people were chosen at random to sit at a beautiful table complete with a nice table cloth, fancy cutlery, bowls, plates, etc. They were each served more wonderful food than one could even imagine. There was so much special food that they could not even finish everything that was served to them.

The rest of us lined up and received a scoop of rice in a bowl. We did not have fancy table cloths; we did not have special drinks; we did not even have cups or cutlery. We just had a bowl of rice.

Linda and Ora (who put on this meal) informed us that the three people at the head table, who were served and had an overabundance of food, represented us in Canada and the other 'first world' countries. The vast majority of us who only had a single bowl of rice to eat, represented to vast majority of the world. The three at the head table did nothing to earn the overabundance, their names were picked at random. Those of us born into affluence here did nothing to be born into privilege and those born without food did nothing to be born without. This is what our world looks like today.

The question is what are we going to do about it?

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