Parable of the Popcorn

 I should be writing in my book right now, but I couldn't not share this experience I had recently with whoever it is that actually reads these blogs ;)

So, me being crazy me, I decided it would be "fun" to take all five of my boys to go see a summer, $1 kid movie at the theater the other day. Even crazier, I decided, 'What the hey!?' and said yes to them each getting their own ridiculously overpriced kid snack pack that they sell at the take your first born, and right arm stand (aka concession stand).

So there I was, juggling all five boys (one of whom is a 14-month old cyclone of terror) and a boatload of snacks that all together cost more than my wedding, trying my best to make it into theater 14 without any injuries or spills.

To my relief, after a lot corralling, the boys -- more importantly, all of our drinks and snacks -- made it to the theater room intact. But, as we stepped inside, my heart sank -- being that it was a $1, kid movie day, it was a packed house, and it was clear that all six of us wouldn't be able to sit together. The movie had started, so I shuffled the older three boys off to sit together, instructing them to be good, before heading up to find seats for me and the younger two.

Finally, we were able to find seats in the nosebleed section waaay up towards the back. It was so crowded, the person next to me had her two boys sitting two to a seat, and bless their hearts, they were trying to make the most of it, but those two little boys didn't look very comfortable. As we sat down beside them, I had my four-year-old put his armrest up so that the other two boys would have some room to spread out, which seemed to help a little with the crowding.

With my nerves a little wired after the fiasco of getting everyone into a seat and situated, I nestled into my seat and tried my best to relax and just watch the show. Soon, I was lost in movie land, sipping on a soda and popping popcorn into my mouth in true movie theater watching form. But as much as I was enjoying myself, I couldn't help but hear one of the little boys next to us ask his mom for some popcorn. Her response (my usual response) was, 'No, we don't have money for that.'

My heart sank as I saw this little boy eyeing my kids and me eating our treats beside him. The fact that he was sharing a seat with his brother and my son made him unusually close to us which just augmented the whole situation. Finally, I just couldn't take the sadness of it all, so, I did what any random, weirdo lady next to someone's kid would do -- I took the snack tray I was sharing with my 14-month-old son and gave it to the little boy next to us, instructing him to share it with his brother (both boys looked no older than six).

I was feeling pretty good about myself for my kind deed, when a little into the movie, I heard the boy's younger brother complaining that he wasn't sharing. I started to pay attention and realized he wasn't sharing at all. In fact, he was turning away so that his brother couldn't get at the popcorn that I had just given him. The kid was little, but still, I couldn't believe that he wouldn't share the popcorn -- the same popcorn that he wouldn't even have if I hadn't given to him, and that I specifically instructed that he share with his brother. I frowned at the injustice of it all. I mean, just how selfish and ungrateful can you be!?

And there it was: my "ah ha!" moment. This wasn't some little five-year-old boy not sharing movie popcorn with his brother -- this was all of us. This was you. This was me. This was mankind. Everything we have is given to us. Every. Single. Thing. And to not share what we are given with those who have not, is just as selfish and wrong as this little boy not sharing that movie popcorn with his brother. "For are we not all beggars to God?" the scriptures ask us. Or, in other words, "Did God not give you that popcorn in the first place? And did he not ask you to share it? And are you really being stingy with popcorn that kinda isn't really even yours?" If I've lost you, I apologize, but this just clicked. All this stuff we have really isn't ours. Not if you're thinking right and acknowledge that all good and perfect things come from above.

Now, I know what some of you are probably thinking because I've thought it myself -- "I work hard for my money, why should I have to give it to an able-bodied person who chooses not to work?" Or, when seeing someone on the street corner begging for help, think, "I bet bad choices put them in that position. Why should I help them?" But let me tell you, after this whole popcorn thing, I really do see it differently.

Yes, I may have had to work hard for where I am in life. But I was born in a stable family that taught me good work ethic. I was given the opportunity to go to college, and more importantly, I was given an example of having two parents that went to college and always held down stable jobs. All of those things are gifts from God. And there are countless other gifts I might not even realize I've been given that have paved the way for every single opportunity that I many times take for granted.

Maybe that person we see on the street had none of that. Maybe that person was born into a home with parents who were addicts. Maybe that person was abused mentally or physically. Maybe that person grew up in a home that we could never even fathom, and they are trying to mask deep wounds with liquor or drugs. Maybe we would be them if we had been born in similar circumstances. But really, regardless of their situation, if you are in a good place in life, if you have all that you need and more, I promise you, whether you believe in Him or not, God has had a huge part in it. And every time we are unwilling to share what we've been GIVEN with those who have not, God must feel just like I did when I saw that little boy not sharing the popcorn. And it didn't feel good. And He probably wants to thump us on the head. Just sayin'. haha