GATHERING LEFTOVERS

Today's reading: John 5-6

"Now gather the leftovers, Jesus told his disciples, so that nothing is wasted." John 6:12 NLT

This verse comes at the end of Jesus's miracle of the feeding of the 5000.

It's tacked on at the end, almost as a sidenote, or a piece of the trailing credits one might see to end a movie.

Or as a juicy, wiggling earthworm on a fishing hook...as bait.

Which I swallowed whole--hook, line and sinker!

You see, in regards to the 'leftovers', we are all feasting on them.

Every one of us has been blessed by the impact of another's offering of their little lunch into Jesus's hands.

Whether it be the Sunday School teacher who took the time to prepare the lessons when you were a child.

Or the Vacation Bible School worker who smiled as they served you purple KoolAid and Ritz crackers with peanut butter smeared on them.

Or the tired pastor who prepared the sermon you heard the day you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior.

Or the friend who pushed aside fears and worries to share the Gospel with you over coffee.

The little boy that day gave his lunch, Jesus blessed his offering--and lives were touched.

Including our own, all these thousands of years later. We are feasting on the leftovers--what remains of his sacrifice, his willingness, his obedience, his desire to give what he had so that Jesus would be magnified.

What are you doing with your leftovers today?

What are you doing to make sure others will have leftovers to dine on in the years to come?