NZVERE, Zimbabwe — Along a road in Matabeleland, barefoot children stuff their pockets with corn kernels that have blown off a truck as if the brownish bits, good only for animal feed in normal times, were gold coins because the children are so hungry.
In the dirt lanes of Chitungwiza, the Mugarwes, a family of firewood hawkers, bake a loaf of bread, their only meal, with 11 slices for the six of them. All devour two slices except the youngest, age 2. He gets just one. And on the tiny farms here in the region of Mashonaland, once a breadbasket for all of southern Africa, destitute villagers pull the shells off wriggling crickets and beetles, then toss what is left in a hot pan. “If you get that, you have a meal,” said Standford Nhira, a spectrally thin farmer whose rib cage is etched on his chest and whose socks have collapsed around his sticklike ankles.
The half-starved haunt the once bountiful landscape of Zimbabwe, where a recent United Nations survey found that 7 in 10 people had eaten either nothing or only a single meal the day before.
Mark 13:3-10 says, "And as he sat on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign when all these things are about to be accomplished?" And Jesus began to say to them, "See that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name, saying, 'I am he!' and they will lead many astray. And when you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed. This must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. These are but the beginning of the birth pains. But be on your guard. For they will deliver you over to councils, and you will be beaten in synagogues, and you will stand before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them. And the gospel must first be proclaimed to all nations."
The realities of our fallen world cannot be denied. Christ said that one of the chief identifiers at the judgment between the sheep and the goats, would be that the sheep recognized the need of the poor. Their practical needs, however, cannot take precedent over their spiritual need. Christ said, "And do not fear those who can kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear the him who can destroy both body and soul." The priority is always placed on the eternal destiny of the human soul. Although, it is easy to hand the poor a meal, it's much more difficult to testify to the grace and power of God unto salvation, through the preaching of the Gospel. We can demonstrate practically, the inward reality of the Spirit of Christ, however, we much watch carefully that we do not turn the true gospel into a social gospel, centered on philanthropic ideals and the emotional tugs of our heart strings.
There are famines, pestilences, and many who are coming in the name Christ today. These things will continue until Christ returns. When hear these things, remember, "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?" ...No in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
In Zimbabwe, thousands are starving to death. What will you do to testify of the inner reality of your outward profession in light of this? Will you reach out to those who hunger? Will you give them true food and true drink. To do this you must put away your inhibitions about serving those who are socially lower than yourself and determine to demonstrate the love of Christ, by giving out of the abundance God has given you. Christ has determined beforehand the good works you will walk in (Eph. 2:10).
