August 31, 2004

Embarrassment of Riches

As I was washing the dishes tonight, I had to throw away some peas, sweet corn, and baby carrots. There wasn't a lot left and they were already leftovers and I couldn't see re-refrigerating them and re-heating them.

But as I tossed them in the bin already full of other uneaten food, like some mackerel that had gotten lost in the fridge past the "use by" date, I thought of how there were people in Sudan starving at that very moment. I know it seems trite, and I know as a Republican my Democrat friends (and as a Tory, my Labour friends) would say I'm not supposed to think of such things, but it's true.

The thing is, there is no way I could have fed them my leftover veg or unused mackerel. And there's no way that I could eat less or even cook less that would somehow provide them with what I haven't used. Whether I like it or not, there are 280 grams of peas, 160 grams of corn, and 195 grams of baby carrots (drained weight) in their respective Tesco brand cans. Given the relative appetites of our family of three table-fed persons, eating in reasonable moderation, we more often than not end up with leftovers of leftovers that would be less than palatable the next time around.

Yes, we could say that it would be more than palatable to our Sudanese brethren, but eating something we don't like just because someone else would like it doesn't make us like it any more. Nonetheless it is both embarrassing and sad to think that we toss out those bits of excess here and there, and can even forget about something until it goes off, without appreciable economic consequences.

It should spur us on to contribute to ways that can make a difference for those who are suffering and have a real sense of gratitude for the grace that has resulted in the material blessings we have. When we pray, Give us this day our daily bread, we should realise just what a gift it is and how much more than bread we have been given.

We Thank Thee, O Christ our God,
That Thou hast filled us with Thine earthly goods;
Deprive us not also of Thy Heavenly Kingdom,
But as Thou camest in the midst of Thy disciples,
O Saviour, and gavest them peace,
Come also amongst us and save us.

Posted by david at August 31, 2004 11:30 PM | TrackBack
Comments

I know what you mean. The biggest irony is how Weight Loss center proliferate in the developed world even as people die of starvation elsewhere.
Obesity and the associated illnesses are some of the biggest killers among us. The old gods may be dead but hubris, it seems, is still punished.

Posted by: Yiannis at September 1, 2004 09:10 AM

I am reminded of a recent Dallas columnist who went through open heart surgery a year ago, and was commenting that ex-prez Clinton was "resting comfortably" which the writer assured us he was not. His further observation was on the fact that the major killer, heart disease, can be traced to the fact that we have too much good food and too little hard work. Well.

Posted by: Bill Holmes at September 9, 2004 09:44 PM