Posted 147 days ago
Jesus Freak
by Sara Miles – Short Book Review
By Ricci Kilmer
“…anywhere there’s food, spirit and matter intersect.
And the power to feed — and particularly to share food
with people outside your tribe — always has the
potential to transform lives.” pg. 21
Too many of us stay in an ethereal realm where the greatest outcome of our food choices is a smug satisfaction of eating an organic apple or zealous righteousness in buying the perfect brand of Fair Trade coffee. Sara Miles, in her new book Jesus Freak, takes food justice one huge leap further she walks right up to that person at the bus stop, asking “Hey, what’s that?”, gives away gooey chocolate cake, and relishes the joy of the kingdom life. She sees no distinction between giving away a head of lettuce at the Food Pantry, which she started at St. Gregory’s Church in San Fransisco, and helping to serve communion on Sunday morning.
The Food Pantry is unique in another area of kingdom living as well; it not only gives away food, it gives away power.
“We had everything we needed because we gave everything away:
we were invincible because we offered power and authority,
just like food, to everyone.” pg. 38
The Food Pantry is run on different values than many other similar programs. They don’t ask you if you qualify, what your income is, or if you happen to be a US citizen. If you are hungry, you are welcome at their table. Sound familiar? And not only are you welcomed to come and eat at their table, but you are welcomed to come and serve. The rules there are simple: “You could be a drunk or a junkie, but you couldn’t volunteer if you were high. You couldn’t steal food, call people names, or get in fights.” pg. 24. That’s it. So many of the same people who receive food also pass it out. They have created a space for family amongst their volunteers.
Jesus Freak is a wonderful book for anyone wanting to see action put behind all the talk around food and justice. Sara Miles takes seriously the gift of Christ’s body, and gives her life to share that Bread with others.
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