Brown Bagging

I can remember as a kid we used to take our lunch to school. Not that it was our choice, exactly, rather the one room school house had no “lunch room” or kitchen. Some kids had lunch boxes with neat pictures and a thermos. Others, like me, had a brown bag that was saved from day to day and re-used until it was no longer capable of holding a sandwich and fruit.

I suppose that is why so many of the kids were sickly, or overweight, or were guilty of eating too much “sweet stuff.” No! Wait! That was the school where recess consisted of running, jumping, chasing, tackling, horsing around, and occasional participation in an organized game or three. I don’t remember any fat, lazy kids. And, hey, wonder of all wonders, the teacher was strikingly attractive (like my bride).

But those days are going fast – Students who attend Chicago’s Little Village Academy public school get nothing but nutritional tough love during their lunch period each day. The students can either eat the cafeteria food–or go hungry. Only students with allergies are allowed to bring a homemade lunch to school, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Sometimes I think Church is like that. Because we have nothing to bring from home of our own involvement with the vital, nurturing, blessing, sufficient Word of God, we are limited to feast on what may or may not be best for us. Sometimes what is being proclaimed from the pulpits in American Churches is untrue and harmful at worst and less than “nutritious” at best.

Paul told Timothy – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the Word of Truth.” (2 Timothy 2:15) Wise words regarding our consumption of the rich meat of God’s Word. What comes from our own Spirit-led personal  preparation and study is best.

Bring a feast from home to add to the Truth proclaimed. That is rich stuff.