Thinking Smaller

As the COO of The Mustard Seed, I can drift into philosophical discussions in the search for large solutions to complex problems. And, as I blog, I feel like I ought to offer some grand rant or quantum idea that will make you feel certain that the problems we’re addressing are well in hand. But the fact is, poverty is mountain-sized and I have only mustard seed-sized faith, so I will instead offer two really small ideas that if we tried, may grow to move the mountain.

First, I believe we have to have local responses to poverty and by local, I’m not thinking city-wide. I’m not really even meaning neighbourhoods. I’m thinking as small as my neighbour. To me, one of the biggest things I can do is to know my neighbours well enough to listen for their challenges. If I can respond compassionately to the issues facing Matt and Candace and Chuck and Wendy I can support them if the cruel cloud of poverty descends on them. Equally, if they take note of my family and our needs, I wonder if we couldn’t step into the growing gap between the rich and poor by simply living attentively to our neighbours. Think of it: what if when Matt loses his job he knows that we will co-purchase groceries that month, help with child care and listen into the evening about the loss of dignity in their struggles through poverty.

My second small idea is to stop taking seconds. I know, sounds crazy but there is a macroeconomic challenge when I consume more than my share. Think of it on the smallest of scales: if you came to dinner at my home, wouldn’t it be outlandish if I served myself first, then enjoyed seconds only to leave you crumbs for your first portion? In this tiny act I set in motion the very large notion of scarcity. As consumers, we need to be mindful as we make our purchasing decisions: do I have I a right to a second home when my homeless neighbour has none?


Please don’t think of me as trite or Pollyanna. The fact is that root cause of poverty are enormous and the complexities involved in offering hope to those who are homeless, colossal. As we begin this week, with the hope in us to change the world, I want to give the gift of these seed sized idea and see what might grow from there. Think of it, if we have faith the size of a mustard seed we might move this mountain.

What’s your very best seed-sized idea?