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While I lived in Florida I spoke out against Tampa’s city ordinance to ban the feeding of homeless people. It seems that Orlando, like Tampa, has passed a law banning the feeding of Homeless people. I can’t speak to Orlando’s reasoning, but Tampa’s “reasoning” was that homelessness was bad for tourism, and thus bad for the economy. If the homeless couldn’t find food in Tampa, the idea went, hunger would drive them to other places where they could find food. Knowing that Orlando’s civil religion is none other than Tourism itself, I’m not surprised, though saddened to discover this “law.”

That said, It is good to hear news of other Christians who think such a law is patently immoral and an affront to the Kingdom. Indeed, there is a group in Orlando Intentionally Violating City Ordinance holding a “ladle-fest” (as opposed to a protest) feeding the hungry who show up
at a public park. Indeed, one man is headed to trial for this Kingdom-act of feeding the hungry.

If the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, may this act be the seed that soon blossoms and houses the birds of the air.