Leftovers

You can imagine what was on the lunch menu.
Leftovers!
Everyone thinks Thanksgiving leftovers are the best.
A smorgasbord of yesterday…enjoyed today!

It is fun to set everything out and watch it disappear.
Who wants their food warm…who wants their food cold.
Who chooses a sandwich…who chooses a platter?
Something for everyone.

Usually, in our house, when everyone is home, there are no leftovers.
When there are…it is a treat!
Some people treat leftovers as second best.
What some people consider second best is a first class meal for others.

The term leftovers is not only reserved for food.
We can give the leftovers of ourselves to others…particularly those we love.

In the day of multitasking, we tend to be poor at prioritizing.
We get things done, but often not in God’s order of importance.
We run errands, work, serve, chauffeur…
We are often too exhausted to spend time with those we love.

We spend time…but we don’t spend TIME!
Without meaning to…those closest to us get our leftovers.

Our people must learn to devote themselves to doing what is good, in order that they may provide for daily necessities and not live unproductive lives. (Titus 2:14)

Only God can help us discern what constitutes daily necessities.
Busyness keeps us from what really matters.
Busyness often results in someone or something getting our leftovers.

Leftovers matter to God.

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? (Matthew 16:8-10)

When Jesus fed the multitudes, there were leftovers.

When Jesus fed the five thousand, the disciples had only five loaves of bread and two fish.
All the people gathered on the green grass.
Jesus gave thanks…they all ate and were satisfied.
There were five thousand men…not counting women and children.
Twelve lunch pail sized baskets were leftover.
The perfect amount for the twelve disciples, who were also hungry.

When Jesus fed the four thousand, He was on a mountainside.
The people had been with Jesus for three days, listening to His teaching.
Jesus didn’t want to send them away hungry.
The disciples had seven loaves of bread and a few fish.
Jesus gave thanks and fed four thousand men, plus women and children.
There were seven man sized baskets of leftovers.
Such abundance.

Leftovers matter to God.
Leftovers…with the right heart…matter to God.

God deserves our abundant love…our abundant attention…our abundant giving.

As he looked up, Jesus saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury. He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “I tell you the truth,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others. All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.” (Luke 21:1-4)

The poor widow didn’t give God her leftovers.
She gave it all to God.
She could have kept one of the coins for herself.
She didn’t…she gave God everything.

God does not deserve our leftovers.
God deserves our best!

“When you bring blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice crippled or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.
(Malachi 1:8)

Why do those who matter most get our leftovers?
God gave His best to us…His one and only Son, Jesus.

We give Him what is left…and think that is sufficient.
We have our priorities backwards.

We should live by the acronym JOY.
Jesus. Others. You.

If we prioritize…in this order…the leftovers will go to us.
Then, those that matter most to us will not get shortchanged.
They will get our best…instead of our leftovers.