I knew that the grocery stores would be a zoo this weekend, so I didn’t even think about going. But Monday is our regular day to buy groceries for our family of five. So I bit the bullet and drove down to Trader Joe’s in Alameda (near Oakland).
What I saw when I got there freaked me out a little bit. It looked like a scene from Black Friday: A line of 100-150 people stretching from the front door of the supermarket.
I almost turned around. I wasn’t ready to deal with chaos. I wasn’t prepared for desperate clawing at boxes of Cheerios and rolls of toilet paper. But I already had momentum; I found my feet carrying me into the back of the line.
I’m glad I stayed. It turns out, the store was opening an hour later than normal – hence the line. A Trader Joe’s worker came down the line and explained their system to us. They would allow us into the store in increments. This would prevent crowding – which is exactly what you don’t want in a pandemic.
About 20-30 minutes after the store opened, I was inside. And I was shocked at what I found: The most pleasant grocery shopping experience I can remember. Everyone was kind and courteous. It was far less crowded than usual. It seemed that everyone got what they needed.
I’m grateful for the workers and managers at our local Trader Joe’s. They didn’t only care for my stomach, they shepherded my soul. They reminded me that, with good leadership and a little bit of faith, we can pull together. Everyone can get what they need. We can care for one another, even when we’re anxious and uncertain.
Cultivating this sense care is going to be even more important in the weeks and months ahead. This afternoon, our local government announced a “shelter in place” order. This order requires residents to avoid all non-essential activities outside the home. It’s a good decision, one that will slow the spread of the virus. Yet seeing the order in print is disquieting.
How long will this last? How many will die? Where is God in this? What am I called to do, to serve those who are most vulnerable? How will I show Christ’s love to the poor, working-class, elderly, and immunocompromised – people who are least prepared to weather this storm?
I’m tempted to say, “I have a spouse and three kids at home. My responsibility is to them. I’ll hunker down, and let the world take care of itself.” And I wouldn’t be wrong.
But that’s not what I saw at Trader Joe’s today. Those workers cared for me and all the other hungry people, even though I’m sure many of them were afraid. They cared for us, and I want to care for others who are hungry.
I saw the face of Jesus at the supermarket. It reminded me that I live to serve others, not to protect myself. My individual life is nothing. I am part of a greater whole – God’s marvelous creation. I am a member of a web, a fabric, a living body of human and non-human life. It is in this greater life that my individual life finds both survival and meaning.
How about you? Have you seen God in this crisis? Have you felt the Spirit’s presence, even in the midst of anxiety and confusion? Have you seen the love of Jesus in the face of a neighbor, a friend, a worker?
What’s your next step? What is your special contribution to this patchwork community of life we all inhabit? Who will you encourage? Who will you feed? What will you build? Who will you protect?
For many of us, maintaining social distance and praying for those around us may be precisely what God is calling us to now. A phone call or a text to those who have no one to talk to can mean the difference between misery and comfort.
For others, performing our normal duties (as doctors, researchers, engineers, front-line service workers, and many more) will be a way we can contribute to the greater good. For households like ours, caring for children will be a major ministry.
One way that I want to serve others in the coming week is by volunteering at the Berkeley Food Pantry. Many Pantry volunteers are elderly folks. They should stay home and avoid exposure to the virus. For a younger person with better chances of survival, one way I can help out is to take their place on the front lines.
Our neighbors need to eat, and so many don’t have any backup. They don’t have any stockpile or buffer against hunger. They rely on the food pantry for daily bread. We can be the hands and feet of God with them.
I invite you to comment below (or to email me) about what you are experiencing in this time of great upheaval. We’ve never seen anything like this. Staying calm and grounded is itself an enormous achievement.
How is the Spirit faring with thee? What is the ministry – no matter how apparently small or simple – that you feel God calling you to. How will you show God’s love in this panicked world?