Pie Mule

            A few years back, a friend in one province offered (on social media) a homemade cherry pie. One of her friends in a different province indicated interest. If only, they had lamented, the distance weren't so great!

            Coincidentally, as the following week I was flying between their two respective cities, I offered to mule said pie. My friend made the pie, as promised. I received the package (literally tied with string) and ferried it to the other city. My friends' friend (whom I'd never before met) drove by the airport and retrieved the package. Drive-by pie delivery!

            This pie started numerous conversations: from a barista noticing the packaging, to airport security questioning how thoroughly they could screen the pie (jokingly requesting a taste-test!), to the "you can't park here" security at the destination airport curious if a stranger really had just delivered a muled cherry pie.

            It was fun to watch on social media in the time that followed as pictures of the pie being appreciated and enjoyed appeared. It was such a little thing, cost nothing, and it brought such joy.

            It was a privilege for me to be a small part of a larger connection, where there was history of community and joy.

            This is the community of Christian living. It is deciding to take an action for someone simply because we can - not because we expect anything in return. It is choosing to show grace and positivity to the people that we know and the ones that we don't; the people that we share many things with and the people with whom there is no commonality. Our ministry in the name of Christ is not limited to the less fortunate, the less able, the less...

            That which you did for the least of these, Jesus tells us, we did for him. Amen!

            Yet we ought often recognise the invitation to do for Jesus in what we do for the most of these - and the middle of these - and the somewhere-in-between of these. Our role as Christians is not simply about finding the extremes and making something better, in the name of our faith. (This is important, and we can remind ourselves that this ministry is for our spiritual improvement). We are also called to reach out to everyone we meet, in every walk of life, and do what we can to make life a little bit better, a little sweeter, a little more joy-filled.  

            Whether it be carrying a pie on a short trip, or calling a friend we've not seen in some time, or whatever else we do - may we carry that in our hearts as part of our Christian ministry. May we show that to our communities as part of our Christian ministry. May we shock the world by living out our Christian ministry - one pie at a time.