Hunny! 40 Days in the 100 Aker Wood – Day 15 – Friday after 2nd Sunday of Lent

To Read:

Pooh put the cloth back on the table, and he put a large honey-pot on the cloth, and they sat down to breakfast.  And as soon as they sat down, Tigger took a large mouthful of honey…  and he looked up at the ceiling with his head on one side, and made exploring noises with his tongue, and considering noises, and what-have-we-got-here noises… and then he said in a very decided voice

…………………

(The House at Pooh Corner – In which Tigger comes to the Forest)

From the Scriptures:

…wanting to vindicate himself, [the lawyer] asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbour?” ³⁰ Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him, and took off, leaving him half dead. ³¹ Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side. ³² So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. ³³ But a Samaritan while traveling came upon him, and when he saw him he was moved with compassion. ³⁴ He went to him and bandaged his wounds, treating them with oil and wine. Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. ³⁵ The next day he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said, ‘Take care of him, and when I come back I will repay you whatever more you spend.’ ³⁶ Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbour to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” ³⁷ He said, “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.”  

 (Luke 9v29-37)

Down the years our family has found itself up to its elbows helping people find food.  When we lived in the wrong end of Johannesburg our children assisted in the making of 20 loaves of sandwiches and 200 litres of soup every day to take to those living on the streets of the City of Gold.  No one has ever been turned away from our door  – even if it means my own lunch is given away! Currently, with a wonderful team of helpers, we provide a bag of food every day of the year for 40-50 people.  

For the most part those who receive are very grateful for whatever can be provided but once in a while there is a Tigger moment….

A few years ago 10th Ipswich Scout Group had their Annual Meeting in  hall of our previous Parish.  They had overestimated how many hot dogs that were needed to fill tummies, which is unusual as Scouts are always very hungry.  At the end of the evening there were nearly 100 hot dogs to spare and I, as vicar and Group Chair, was handed them to give to a good cause.  So, late on a Friday night I went into central Ipswich where I knew there was a mobile soup kitchen.  The Hot Dogs were gratefully received by most of the guests with the exception of one person who, holding not one but two hot dogs in his hands, came up to me and complained ‘What?  No onions?’  

As Pooh continues his role of being a Good Samaritan to Tigger I wonder how he manage to persist with his awkward and demanding guest.  He does seem just a tad relieved that “Tiggers don’t like honey.”  and doesn’t see any reason why he shouldn’t offer Tigger a taste of Piglet’s ‘haycorns’ and Eeyore’s thistles!  But he keeps on seeking food and help for this stranger.  Tomorrow we will find out what Tiggers ‘do’ eat but for now he can seem to be being as picky as my friend demanding onions to go with his free hot dog.

Those of us who are in a position to be generous can easily fall into the trap of thinking that those who receive help should ‘like it or lump it’.  We can persuade ourselves that ‘some help is better than no help’ and offer our leftovers and goods that we would not eat ourselves.  This can lead to a grudging charity which treats our sisters and brothers in need as somehow deserving less which really means we regard them as below us. 

Recently when going on retreat on the Isle of Bute I decided to purchase only food that we used in our Parish Pantry to eat myself.  Everything was ‘own brand’, all the veg was reduced and any bread was at least day old.  It tasted terrible!  This convicted me of my own tendency to be ‘mean’ even whilst being generous.  I resolved then that whenever I shop for food to give away I would only ever buy items that I would be content to feed my own family.

If we are going to imitate the Good Samaritan, or Pooh and his friends, we must learn that generosity always means going the second mile and willingly providing healing and succour and welcome for those in need whom our Beloved places alongside us on the road of life.

(Thich Nhat Hanh)