The UK wastes an estimated 9.5 million tonnes of food annually, enough to feed over 30 million people. This staggering reality exists alongside a growing number of people facing food poverty. This modern crisis of abundance and lack brings to mind a timeless lesson in stewardship from the book of Exodus, the story of the manna.
Wandering in the desert, the Israelites were provided with a miraculous daily food supply. The instructions were clear: “Each one is to gather only as much as he needs for that day” (Exodus 16:16). Any manna stored in excess would spoil. This divine command was a lesson in trusting God’s daily provision and rejecting the fear of scarcity that often drives greed and waste. “The people of Israel did so; some gathered much, some little. But when they measured it with an omer, whoever gathered much had nothing left over, and whoever gathered little had no lack. Each had gathered as much as he needed” (Exodus 16:17-18).
This ancient narrative resonates powerfully with our contemporary challenges. We live in a world where food is often abundant, yet a significant portion of it – nearly one-third globally – is lost or wasted. The manna story serves as a stark reminder of the ethical imperative to avoid this waste. It teaches us to take only what we need and to be mindful of the resources we are given, for if we are wasteful, our stewardship falls short of our responsibilities.
The biblical lesson of the manna is a call to action for us to be good stewards of our “daily bread”. This means cultivating a mentality of gratitude and responsibility for the food we have. In a practical sense, it encourages us to:
* Practice Mindful Consumption: Plan meals, create shopping lists, and buy only what is necessary to avoid food spoilage at home.
* Support Sustainable Food Systems: Choose to support local farms and systems that reduce the distance food travels, minimising waste in transport and storage.
* Rethink “Ugly” Produce: Embrace fruits and vegetables that may not look perfect but are still perfectly good to eat.
* Donate Surplus Food: Support food banks and other organisations that redistribute excess food to those in need, instead of letting it go to waste.
As Christians, we are called to be caretakers of God’s creation and to love our neighbours. By being good stewards of the food we have, we take a step toward a more secure and equitable food future for all, embodying the spirit of the manna story – that sufficiency for one should not be at the expense of another.
