Yesterday morning I read of a new Panera Bread restaurant in St. Louis. As customers arrive at the store they are greeted by the sign that simply says:"Take what you need, leave your fair share.” While still serving its delicious breads and healthy soups and sandwiches, the store allows people to pay what they can for the food they will receive. The cash register is replaced by a 'Donation Jar'. The article reported that, though no one is required to pay any amount for the food they order, 1/3 of the customers are opting to pay more than the retail value of their check. Those who cannot pay at all are asked, if they are able, to help out some place at the store.

As I read this article, my heart filled with a sense of gladness and hope that had been absent for awhile. In the face of all the other articles in the paper that showed a less than stellar side of humanity, this story lifted me up. I found myself, once again, able to glimpse an imageof the greater good. I pray this endeavor, underwritten by the company's foundation, works. If it does, the concept will expand into other markets that Panera serves. Wouldn't that be wonderful? I thought of the many homeless and transient people I pass on Nicollet Mall as they ask for handouts. Near by is a Panera restaurant. I loved the idea that these people might some day walk in and be served with all those able to pay, many even more than the face value of the cost of their order.

Despite the sheer goodness of this story, i know I was drawn to it for at least two other reasons. The first is that it seems to live out what the early disciples did as recorded in the book of Acts. "Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were
being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and has all things
in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the
proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together
in the temple, they broke bread at home, and ate their food with glad and
generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people." These early followers of Jesus banded together, not only out of self preservation, but to continue to live out in community what they believed Jesus would want them to do. They were all about  taking what they needed and leaving their fair share. 

The second reason I was drawn to this story was because of my father. My Dad was a man who loved food and had also been a cook in the Navy. He could never cook for just four people. Everything he created in the kitchen was meant to serve a crowd. He said to us on more than one occasion that if he ever became rich, which was a big if, he would open a soup kitchen. My Dad was also a man that really believed in the dignity of all human beings. I can imagine that the soup kitchen of his dreams would have countless ways for all who came to eat to be given ways to help out in some way so their food was not a hand out but a hand up. I can imagine him walking into a Panera store today and putting far more than was required for his meal into the donation jar.

I will look forward to following the progress of this amazing act by a corporation. Its intention brought hope to my day and an opportunity to think that a dream my Dad once had might have the opportunity to be lived out by others with equally generous hearts and souls. May each of us walk into this day taking only what we need and leaving our fair share.