Craig Clouston

 Seal of Approval

November 30

On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval.

John 6:27

Each June, area churches work together in conjunction with a local bakery, and pass out free loves of fresh bread to the community.

The day begins early with runners, as they are titled, shuttling bread between the bakery and drop off sites. Trucks full of bread, dinner rolls, croissants, and flatbread arrive throughout the day.

Deliverers are assigned designated sections of the community. They pick up supplies and go door to door passing out the baked goods, offering words of God’s love and encouragement.

There are pick up sites where people from outlying areas come for bread as well. No limits are placed on how many items one may receive (up until the bakery runs out). If you have great need, you receive an amount equal to that need.

When asked, “Why do you do this?” by recipients, they tell them of Jesus’ love and how He is the Bread of Life and how this act is symbolic of that gift.

Some ask, “Is the bread stale?” and are guaranteed, “Each item has the freshness seal of approval.”

Some life-changing stories shared during this day are truly inspirational. Men and women alike cry, telling the deliverer they had no food in the house.

Bread of Life changes lives on both sides of the effort. For no one can ever be the same after witnessing or having a desperate need met.

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Such outreach for Jesus is a tremendous thing. Yet we do not have to wait for one day in June to deliver the Bread of Life to our communities.

Even as some are in desperate need of the physical nourishment this type of event provides, everyone in the world is in need of God’s spiritual gift of life through His Son. So much so that God put in His written Word His seal of approval on what His Son did on our behalf.

We are to be light and salt in a dark and tasteless world. This is one example of how to do that. We have God-given creative ability. Put it to use for His kingdom.

Prayer

“Lord of all Creation, show me how I can make a difference in my community. Give me the vessel with which to help transform lives. In Jesus’ Name, amen.”