I Still Don't Get It

A few weeks ago I took my two kids to the Amazing Pizza Machine here in Omaha.  If you've never been there, it's like Chuckie Cheese's on steroids.  The food is so-so, the games are fun but pricey and the prizes are mostly lame.  The best thing about the APM is the 72 inch screen in the sports room where ESPN is continually playing (the last room my kids want to eat it). But the kids love the place, so I break down every once in a while and drive the three blocks to get there (yeah, it's that close).

While we were getting our food and heading to our table, I walked past a table with a middle aged lady who had a few plates in front of her.  She was there with family who had just left the table.  I didn't pay much attention to her, but as I walked past her, I noticed her take three slices of pizza from one of her two plates and shovel it into a large ziplock bag under her table.  I had a mental "wow" moment and proceeded to settle the kids into the booth.

Now I have been to a buffet many times, but this was the first time I had seen this.  I wasn't sure how to feel about it either.  I wasn't sure if I should be disgusted that someone would raid the buffet for a weeks worth of food or just feel sorry for them.  For a minute, I began to wonder if I should notify the manager about the freeloading that was happening right under his nose.  I know that sounds bad, but honestly, that was one of my first thoughts.   

Two hours and 600 tickets later, we made it home.  Later that evening I mentioned what I saw to my wife and she commented that she wasn't surprised.  She reminded me that there are plenty of people who see an all you can eat buffet as an opportunity for some extra meals.  I guess that's when I realized something pretty important - I still don't get it.  I still don't get what it means to not know where my next meal comes from.  I still don't get what it means to have an empty fridge.  I still don't know what it means to really go hungry for an extended amount of time.  And I still don't know what it means to go to a buffet in hopes of covering more than one meal.

When Jesus spoke of "the least of these," my first thought is usually the man standing by the road with a sign that reads, "Homeless, anything will help." But the reality is, "the least of these" are all around us. They're living paycheck to paycheck, been looking for a job for months and "going back for seconds" is something rare.  Even though I didn't expect it, "the least of these" were at the Amazing Pizza Machine two tables away.  And with people who need compassion so close, maybe it's time that I look for more opportunities to help rather than looking for the manager.