Shutdown and SNAP
The shutdown continues, and so does SNAP (at least in part). That is the upshot of this week’s developments around the ongoing U.S. government shutdown, which is now nearly a week into its second month.
While the broader negotiations have yet to produce an agreement to reopen the government, there is now at least some relief for those who typically receive food assistance under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). After two courts instructed the administration to continue payments and directed the use of contingency funds for that purpose, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced it will provide November payments that are roughly half of the typical benefit.
Analysis and eternal perspective: There are numerous layers to this story, including a debate about the proper governing role in food aid, the larger debate around the government shutdown as a whole, the constitutionality of using funds to keep programs running without specific congressional approval, and of course the very tangible reality that millions of people typically use the SNAP program to feed their family.
These debates overlap and even compete with each other at times. There are no easy and pat answers or solutions to many of the questions they raise.
There does, however, continue to be a very clear role for you and me to play. As discussed last week, there will be those who are hungry in your midst this week. Feed them! It is so straight-forward it almost sounds flippant, but our instruction in this environment really is that simple, and we are reminded of it repeatedly in scripture (you can start with Pr. 25:21-22, Matt. 25:35-40, Is. 58:10, and Jam. 2:15-17).
In fact, this simple instruction is still applicable even when it is your enemy who is hungry:
“If your enemy is hungry, feed him” (Rom. 12:20).
My friends, this is one of those “difficult” stories that actually leads to a very easy to understand application for us. When you encounter someone hungry this week, feed them!
The following article originally appeared in Thann’s “The Equipped” Weekly Newsletter. For more information on Thann’s weekly email, click here.