"For I was hungry and you gave me food..."

As I prepare for the SNAP Challenge, the Gospel has become my guide. Jesus confronted the hungry and the haughty alike. Jesus knew that social transformation and spiritual transformation ought to engage all persons along the socio-economic strata. He also challenged the norms of the day to encourage others to faith; the kind of faith that was based in love, communion and hope. For Jesus to truly challenge the norms of the day, he had to be conversant in them. Asking questions in the Temple, absorbing the story, and reflecting deeply, were ways Jesus became aware.

We too must be aware. Although the SNAP Challenge is only 5 days, we are challenging our own understanding of how others really live day-to-day, week-to-week. By embracing these next several days of scarcisty, together, we are coming closer to who our neighbor is and how our neighbor lives. This blog will have some personal interaction by me, Andy Stoker, and my hope is that it can add to your understanding of the 'story' so that in your SNAP Challenge you may reflect deeply on what it means to live on the 'hunger line'.

Please read the Guiding Scripture below to begin your SNAP Challenge.

You are invited to add your comments below or on these media:

First United Methodist Church, Dallas, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/FUMCDal

Crossroad Community Services, Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/#!/ccsdallas

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Guiding Scripture, as you prepare for the SNAP Challenge:
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory.³²All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats,³³and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left.³⁴Then the king will say to those at his right hand, ‘Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world;³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’³⁷Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink?³⁸And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing?³⁹And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?’⁴⁰And the king will answer them, ‘Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.’" (Matthew 25:31-40, NRSV).