Insignificant

Yesterday our church had a breakfast food drive. Last week during church when it was announced I immediately put it into my phone as a reminder, but as it would be I didn’t remember or see the phone reminder until about 5 minutes before we were walking out of the door-10 minutes late. So, I looked into our pantry and the only thing I could find unopened was a small package of grits.

I felt so insignificant and a tad but embarrassed as I ran into church and saw the number of families entering in with armloads of cereal, pop tarts, and an assorted other breakfast nonperishables.

I reluctantly walked up front and laid my small package down front on the steps of the alter. As I turned back to head to my seat, I noticed tons of families sitting together. Again, I felt so lonely in a room filled with people. The Rosebros were at Life Group while I was in church service all alone. Doing that alone has been strange but for some reason yesterday it felt suffocating.

Feeling insignificant and so very different from everyone else around me was uncomfortable at best.

As I started thinking about the children who would benefit from our breakfast item gifts, I started thinking about school. We have so many events: meet the teacher, Boosterthon, field trips, conference night, concerts, etc. At many of these events, a lot of our students come with one or both parents. They come with school supplies, money to donate, wearing the right or appropriate clothes, and fully prepared for the day or the event. They’re taken care of, they’re comfortable and they can concentrate on the activities or learning before them.

But then we have others. We have others who don’t come prepared, who come with very little, and come unprepared. Don’t think that they do not notice the differences between them and those around them.

Let me tell you, that’s not a good feeling. I remember the feeling very well as a young elementary student with learning problems from a poor family surrounded by those who had more than they needed. Halfway through my little pity party at church, I realized something. I realized that I had shown up. I had brought a gift- no matter how small. And that gift may very well fill the belly of a hungry child. It may well be a meal or more for a family who feels hopeless. My little insignificant gift didn’t feel so insignificant and small and meaningless anymore.

Those kids who feel insignificant and unimportant- they’re not. They have much to contribute. They have much to give. But they need much more than assignments and lessons from us. Don’t ever, ever forget that.