What to do with leftovers

"When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest.  Leave them for the poor and the alien.  I am the Lord your God."
Leviticus 23:22

     God's instructions to Israel in Leviticus regarding the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost) center around two key themes:  celebration and sacrifice..  The Feast of Weeks came at the end of the harvest season, a time to celebrate God's provision and give back to the Great Provider through a sacrifice of grain and livestock.  It is interesting that God includes a command regarding what to do with the "gleanings"- the leftover stalks and heads of grain that remained after the initial harvest.  Clearly God knew that the inclination of the Israelite harvesters would be to return and gather all of the leftovers as well; after all, the grain left behind was just as good as the grain that had been picked up! But God commands that they intentionally be left alone so that those less fortunate might benefit from them.

     Today, we take a somewhat different attitude toward leftovers.  Except for Chinese food (which is clearly always better the next day), most leftover food is viewed as "second class" or "unworthy" of a sit-down family-style meal.  Leftovers come wrapped in foil and are best eaten on a TV tray while watching Law & Order.  But God reminds us, in a somewhat "stretched" exegetical sense, that those things that are "left-over" still have both value and purpose and, when "ingested" properly, can be beneficial.  They contain all of the nutrients and flavor of the original course; all that has changed is when they are enjoyed.

     Which brings me around to the title of this blog.  Life, ministry, faith (theology), and family...each of these "harvests" has its share of leftovers.  The harvest of life brings with it experiences that offer a wealth of "leftovers" from which to glean life lessons both humorous and sobering, big and small.  The harvest of ministry is a unique one to be sure: the times of study, conversations with a variety of individuals, and lessons learned here surely provide much in the way of both spiritual and practical fruit.  Then there is the harvest of faith, or theology; certainly there is no greater harvest to enjoy than that of the rich study of God, and all of its "leftovers" are worthy of enjoyment!  Finally, the harvest of family- those with whom we are privileged to share all of the other harvests (life, ministry, and faith), and from whom we glean much in the way of wisdom, love, patience, and fellowship.

     I'd like to think of this blog as a "net" to catch all of those great "leftovers" from the great harvests that we call life, ministry, faith, and family.  Too often we miss the grains of wisdom and knowledge that have fallen on the ground as we race through the fields of life.  Every now and again it is good, and necessary, to go back and gather those leftovers, to enjoy them, savor them, and learn from them.  

     I hope that each of us, as both writer and reader, will be blessed by the gleanings we explore together.  Thanks for reading.

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