OPINION: The Big Beautiful Bill slashed SNAP benefits: What now?

I am often awestruck by the simultaneous depth and simplicity of the Bible. Take Matthew 25, for example, which includes the so-called parable of the sheep and goats, in which Jesus shares the test by which we will all be judged when he returns. Given the discourse in our nation these days, one unfamiliar with the Bible might think the test is whether one is straight, wealthy and pro-life. To the contrary, Jesus lays out a simple test: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” He states in no uncertain terms that those who welcome the stranger, clothe the naked and visit those in prison will go on to “eternal life” and those who do not will suffer “eternal punishment.”

I have been thinking of Matthew 25 frequently over the last six months, especially after the passage of the “Big Beautiful Bill.” Considering Matthew 25, and the fact that so many of the Republicans who recently passed the “Big Beautiful Bill” profess a Christian faith, one would do well to expect that the poor would be better off with the passage of the legislation. Not so. According to the Congressional Budget Office, 3.2 million people under the age of 65 will lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. That is 3.2 million people against whom hundreds of self-professed Christians have chosen to wield the power of government in a way which will dramatically increase hunger.

Now, caveat time: The United States is not a Christian nation (though it is a nation with a large number of Christians). The separation of church and state is one of the best ideas our Founders had. And as a liberal Christian, I must admit that I have spent too much of my life letting myself off the hook from fulfilling my obligations under Matthew 25. I often justified my stinginess with my personal resources as warranted given the social safety net available in our nation. As I grow older my faith has developed. I now see how fortunate I have been. I am trying to do better at caring for those less fortunate than me.

My question to all the Christians out there who are happy with the passage of the Big Beautiful Bill is a simple one: what now? Millions of people are about to experience significant food insecurity thanks to the actions of Congress and the president. If feeding the poor is not the role of the federal government, so be it. However, you are on the clock. I encourage you to step up and support your local food bank or other hunger nonprofit. For the hungry and for you, everything is on the line.