Baker: Have a good day!

Our country — as well as the rest of the world — is in great disarray these days. It can be difficult for us to breathe, to stay focused, to find peace in our hearts. So, I am determined to give you a brief vacation from all that. When I say brief: this mini-vacation may last only as long as it takes you to read this. Or maybe you can make it last a bit longer.

A few years ago, a nonprofit organization based in New York City unexpectedly received ten thousand dollars in a legal settlement. Activist Shane Claiborne tells the story of what happened next.

“We thought this money rightly belonged to those in need–the folks on the street, the people we served every day–because we got the money as a result of our efforts on behalf of homeless people. So, we decided to give the money directly to those in need. No paperwork, no strings attached.”

The group came up with a plan to distribute the money... on Wall Street. Wall Street— a place where the power of money is worshiped and celebrated. The organizers spread the word among other area nonprofit groups, who invited those in need to show up on a specific day, at a specific time, in front of the New York Stock Exchange building.

When the day came, the organizers stationed dozens of people on the street–many of whom were their clients–who would help to distribute the money when the signal was given.

Dozens of people arrived. And then, dozens more. A number of police officers were there. When people in the crowd asked when the money would be distributed, the police said it was a hoax — because they thought it was — and told them to go home. But the people remained, standing quietly together— totally unaware that among them were those who would soon become their benefactors.

Every day, Monday through Friday, at precisely 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time, a bell rings to symbolize the opening of the New York Stock Exchange— a tradition that began in the 1870s as both a ceremony and a way to generate media attention. It is a privilege to ring the bell, a privilege extended to wealthy executives, celebrities or other VIPs. And worldwide media outlets record that moment each day.

Just before the bell rang this time, with the attention of the world on Wall Street, a voice on a loudspeaker within the crowd announced: “We believe another world is possible, a world where everybody has what they need and there’s no longer this deep inequity.”

And then, as the New York Stock Exchange bell rang out, the distribution of money began. The folks planted in the crowd began to pull money out of their pockets, in both large and small bills, and handed it to everyone near them. People on bikes rode by, tossing handfuls of bills to the crowd. Others handed out coffee mugs overflowing with hundreds of dollars. People on nearby balconies sent cash drifting down to the street like confetti. A street sweeper soon found his dustpan filled with money. He said, “It’s a good day at work! Hallelujah!”

A few Wall Street employees came outside to see what was going on. Once they understood, some ran to the nearest delis, bought bagels and gave them out to the people. Several others emptied their purses and wallets into the hands of the crowd. A crowd, it should be noted, that remained peaceful and respectful throughout the event. There was no fighting over the money; some people even gave part of what they received to others standing alongside them. Meanwhile, the police officers stood on the sidelines, scratching their heads in amazement.

Claiborne noted, “Our goal was to proclaim a vision of God that is so big that everyone is part of it. As Archbishop Desmond Tutu said, we want those who have been oppressed to be free from oppression, and those who have been oppressors to be freed from that role. We want everyone to be set free.”

To me, this story speaks of seeing others as our neighbors. It speaks of empathy. It speaks of experiencing that we are all one— made of the same fabric, woven into the very same garment.

Here is a little gift for you: Make an effort today, in any small way you can, to bring some good into someone else’s day. How is that a gift to you? I think you know the answer: doing so will give YOU a transfusion of peace and joy. And in this crazy world we live in, we all need that.