Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return. Luke 6:38

It was dark outside, the upcoming time change evident. It had been an excruciatingly long day. We were headed toward home, yet the to-do list loomed ahead. The questions from the back seat had begun to come with a regularity that accompanies uncertainty and hunger.

“Are we about to eat supper? We haven’t eaten supper yet.”
I decided to engage the source of the questions rather than attempting to dodge them.

“As soon as we get home we are going to have supper. Did you like your lunch today? The Chicken-salad wrap?”

“Yes ma’am! It was SO good!”

“I’m glad, I thought maybe I had added too much salt when I made it. I’m glad you liked it.”

“It was so good I didn’t even share it. I mean I did share part of my lunch but not that part.”

I was a tad concerned, whenever kids are involved, eating allergies are always in the forefront of my mind. “Um, who did you share your lunch with, and what did you share with them?”

“Nolan. We all shared our lunches with him. He only had a bag of chips and I gave him two rice Krispy treats and two goldfish packs – you know those are his favorite next to blue Doritos, Somebody gave him cookies, Oreos..and..I can’t remember what else but he said ‘thank you’ and he was ‘all full.’ ”

I giggled at that one. In my head I responded. “Full. After all that… I bet he was. That sounds like a Carb load for a giant about to run 26.2 miles”

As we meandered down the road another voice from the darkness of the backseat. The deep male voice spoke up.

“Well, Heath gave me one of his tacos. He said I could have it if I wanted. It was JUST like I like it too! A Taco-Bell one with the soft sides and only the meat and cheese! It was SO good! And I have been wanting one of those for a while”

I giggled again. In a completely different lunch room, at the same time one Martin was giving and one was receiving.

I was immediately reminded of the early church, the one in the book of Acts, Chapter 4:

There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold, and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. (34-35)

Those Lunch Sharers and Receivers are studying the Book of Acts in Bible Study, and as they came together for most of their (admittedly) favorite part of the day, they literally lived it out. I giggled as I thought about the distribution of the gold-fish shaped crackers and a leftover Taco-Bell taco; how the distribution differed from the aforementioned Infant Church one, yet so very similar in genuineness and generosity that there was no one left hungry or wanting, because in the Spirit of the King and in the Spirit of sharing all were taken care of.

Those of us who are Christ Followers are called to “Not grow weary in doing good” (Galatians 6:9), and “To share bread with the hungry” (Isaiah 58:7). I believe that the King blesses us so that we may bless others. (Genesis 12:2)

There is an old adage that says something to the effect that children learn not what we say, but by what we do. I suppose in the instance of the Lunch Room that particular day, those children had learned by what they had seen and by what they had read.

Everyone, after he has been fully trained, will be like his teacher. Luke 6:40