Since I became CEO almost a decade ago, God has led Feed the Hunger on a journey to simplify. It is reflected in our Mission Statement: Feeding the spiritual and physical hunger in the needy. He has narrowed our focus to two core activities: providing God’s Word through Bibles and devotionals, and through feeding people nutritious meal packets.
There are three verses that God has used to guide us in this endeavor to pack and distribute food:
- At the feeding of the five thousand in Matthew 14:16, “Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’ ”
- Later in Matthew’s Gospel (25:35), Jesus mentioned six practical ministries he expects from believers, and He started with this one: “For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat…”
- In the last three years, we have included feeding people here in America. Deuteronomy 15:11 provided us with the needed direction: “There will always be poor people in the land. Therefore I command you to be openhanded toward your fellow Israelites [brothers] who are poor and needy in your land.”
What do all three of these verses have in common? God expects us to take action. We are not to sit back and pray for God to feed the hungry. We are not to let government agencies carry the majority of the load. The Body of Christ is to take the lead.
But we can’t stop there. We need to not just feed physical hunger, but spiritual hunger too—and do both simultaneously whenever possible. The old saying goes, “An empty stomach has no ears.” We can’t expect people to be interested in hearing about Jesus when they’re starving to death. Likewise, we shouldn’t stay silent as we share food. People need to know what will sustain them for eternity. “Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty’ ” (John 6:35).
Don’t think this is a philosophy just for Feed the Hunger. As you have opportunity in your own street, neighborhood, town, and beyond, seek to provide physical and spiritual food to the needy around you.
