A Playbook to Live By…

Except for a few unfortunate and self-imposed attempts at weight loss, I have never known hunger. The refrigerator, freezer and pantry in my home are all full and there has never been a time in my life when things were otherwise. Yet, just last year, here in America, more than one in five children were living at or below the poverty line. And today nearly 220,000 South Carolinians are without jobs and more than 445,000 people in our state go hungry every day.

Those are bleak figures, which might be why it seems so remarkable—in a way that can only be divinely inspired—that on a Sunday in January about 20 years ago, a young seminary intern at Spring Valley Presbyterian Church in Columbia offered a simple prayer that led to a movement which has evolved into a “loaves and fishes” story of its own.

“Lord, as we enjoy the Super Bowl football game, help us to be mindful of those who are without a bowl of soup.”

A week ago Sunday, more than 150 million people watched as the Pittsburgh Steelers defeated the Arizona Cardinals in a nail-biter of a Super Bowl game. A slightly less publicized, but no less important event occurred the Saturday morning before the big game. Nearly 350 young people from scout troops, school groups and youth groups from across the Columbia area gathered early on a cold winter morning to volunteer in the fight against hunger in this community as part of the Souper Bowl of Caring Service Blitz. Those kids were among thousands of youth from across the country that were carrying the “game ball” for the Souper Bowl of Caring—and carrying on the mission that was born out of that simple prayer that has inspired so many and so much.

Twenty years ago, the Rev. Dr. Brad Smith’s prayer planted a seed that prompted a movement among Christian youth in our area who were concerned about poverty and hunger and wanted to help fight it in their community. One church’s youth group reached out to 22 others in the Midlands of South Carolina to mark the first Souper Bowl of Caring. This year, more than 127,000 youth in nearly 9,000 organizations—including classrooms, clubs and congregations large and small, representing a multitude of denominations and faiths—celebrated Super Bowl weekend by rallying against hunger in communities across America.

Their efforts have inspired communities, congregations, NFL owners and teams, business leaders and so many across the country. But even more importantly, last week’s Souper Bowl generated nearly $3.5 million in donations and more than 1.13 million pounds of food for people in need nationwide. Every penny raised and every can donated were distributed directly to local charitable efforts.

Talk about an answer to prayer! This project is Columbia’s own little mustard seed that has grown from a simple prayer into a veritable tree of hope—one that has developed deep roots and far reaching branches from which local food banks, soup kitchens and charities have reaped more than $42 million in funds and more than 13 million pounds of food since the idea was first planted. Impressive numbers from a very impressive program, indeed…

The thing that is equally as impressive to me is the message that these kids send as they continue to breathe life into the mission that came from that prayer—and one that was articulated in a prayer last Saturday before the service blitz began. The point was made that, without us, Jesus doesn’t have any hands or feet on this Earth today. Without us, there is no one to wash the feet of the homeless, no one to hold the hands of the downtrodden, and no one to feed the hungry in our midst. We are called to be our brother’s keepers, to love our neighbors, to be fishers of men. Remarkably, last Sunday, 127,429 young people led America in answering that call—and they did it not because they had to, but because they could.

The Gospel of Matthew 25:35-40 speaks to this directly:

‘For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”

If you follow the newspaper or the news on television, it is easy to get bogged down by all of the bad stories these days—with much of the negative coverage focused on the young people in our communities. We hear of thugs and drugs, crime sprees, gang violence, alarming rates of teenage pregnancy and high school dropouts.

Yet, last Saturday, I was blessed with a wonderful gift in the form of an amazing and hopeful glimpse at the passion and compassion of today’s youth—and tomorrow’s leaders.

Here is what I know in my heart to be true: those 350 kids who got up at the crack of dawn on a bitter cold Saturday in Columbia are undoubtedly exceptional, but they are not the exception. They are representative of the tens of thousands of young people across America who led us all last weekend, through their own example, excited to be God’s hands and feet in their community, fired up to make a difference for someone who may never be able to thank them, and honored to be part of the team that carried the game ball in “Souper Bowl XX.”

For the past 20 years, the Souper Bowl of Caring has fielded a winning team with a solid game plan to address a worthy cause. More than 127,000 strong this year, this is one team that packs a powerful punch against hunger, but also against apathy—all strengthened by faith. Each of the “players” is a guardian of that little prayer from Spring Valley, entrusted by God to make much from little, to do that for the least of their brothers, and in so doing, to ensure that Team XXI and those that will follow have a higher bar to reach and a solid foundation from which to build.

In this Bowl Game, the outcome is a little more predictable, but earned none the less. It is a well-deserved and hard-fought victory that produces winners across the board.

If you want to learn more about the Souper Bowl of Caring and how you can support this incredible effort in your community, please visit their website at www.souperbowl.org.