By: Denny

Most people when they think of leftovers associate it with food. A big meal is prepared and not everything is consumed, so the remaining portions are put in containers to be refrigerated or frozen for future meals. This is very convenient given the busy lifestyles we lead these days. Leftovers can be prepared as a meal in a matter of minutes by simply popping the food in the microwave. Depending on the amount of leftovers and number of people served, leftovers can suffice for a meal or last for days. Growing up there were six kids in our family. I remember mom would cook a big Sunday dinner. We were taught to eat everything we put on our plates, and sometimes there weren’t too many leftovers. Food wasn’t wasted or thrown in the garbage as is so common today. I see so many people pile food on their plates and not eat it all. If you can’t eat it all, then don’t take it all. Parents, stop dishing up your kids plates with adult portions. Their stomachs aren’t that big and what they don’t eat will get thrown away. Gone are the days when mom saved your plate of uneaten food and it became your next meal or breakfast. Everyone loves desert, especially kids. When the grandkids come to visit us they know grandma won’t let them have desert until they first finish eating the good food they took.

The concept of saving leftovers is actually found in the Bible. In all four Gospels is found the miraculous account of Jesus feeding the 5,000. They only had five loaves of bread and two fish. The disciples gave them to Jesus and He gave thanks and blessed the food. He in turn gave them back to the disciples to distribute among the people, and they ate as much as they wanted. After everyone had eaten their fill, in John 6:12 (NIV) Jesus said, ”Gather the pieces that are leftover. Let nothing be wasted.”  All the food had been blessed including the leftovers. I believe there is a principal here that many don’t understand or fail to notice in our modern culture. We sit down and pray for God to sanctify and bless the food we are about to eat, and yet we waste and throw the same blessed uneaten food left on the plate into the garbage can. I wonder what God thinks of that as we complain about the high cost of groceries.

My wife told me of an incident that happened years ago when she was a missionary in Mexico. Another missionary received a box containing tea bags. In it was a note saying they had only been used once. I’m sure the person who sent them thought they were doing a noble thing and honoring God by giving leftovers. Such an offering is as weak and flavorless as the tea it would produce. Laugh if you will, but isn’t that what well meaning people do every day by giving God less than the best. Maybe it’s not with used up teabags, but with their used up time. Our busy and hurried schedules and lifestyles leave little time for God. We ask Him to bless us on the one hand, and on the other waste or throw away time on foolish things that we could’ve been spending time with Him. Many pat themselves on the back for giving Him one hour at church on Sunday, but get all bent out of shape if it lasts over that. What about the other 167 hours the rest of the week. Too many will give what’s leftover of their income after paying the bills. Instead of tithing God gets a few leftover bucks placed in the offering plate. Instead of seeking first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness as Jesus commanded in Matthew 6:33, we give Him leftover times at best, yet still expect all things to be added to us. Our quick hurried prayers are like food reheated in the microwave. Galatians 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. So I guess the natural conclusion one can assume is; if you give God your leftover time then don’t expect anything more than leftover blessings. I think if we all gave God more of our time we would experience more of His presence and blessings in our lives. Now there’s something to think about in your spare time, provided you have any left over.