This time of year, between Thanksgiving and New Year, there is always a lot of talk about leftovers. There are all kinds of segments on television and articles on social media about creative ways to use your leftover turkey, stuffing, and cranberry sauce. Families divide up the leftover food from their holiday meals and eat on them for days to come. And sometimes leftovers are taken and given to those in need, who may not have been able to enjoy a nice meal for the holiday. I love this idea! Our leftovers can be a blessing to someone else!
Yesterday, I was reading a very familiar story in John 6, where Jesus feeds the 5,000. I've read it and heard it told so many times, I kind of just tune it out sometimes because I know what's coming. Jesus gets a lunch from a little boy that has two fish and five loaves. He tells the people to sit down, then passes out food to everyone. It shouldn't be enough, but somehow it stretches to fill them all. Then, to show that He gave them more than enough, He has the disciples collect the leftovers in baskets. Sound about right?
But, I want you to read the story again, really read it, and pay attention especially to verse 12.
John 6:1-13 Some time after this, Jesus crossed to the far shore of the Sea of Galilee (that is, the Sea of Tiberias), 2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the signs he had performed by healing the sick. 3 Then Jesus went up on a mountainside and sat down with his disciples. 4 The Jewish Passover Festival was near.
5 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
7 Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages[a] to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!”
8 Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up, 9 “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”
10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 11 Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish.
12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.” 13 So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten.
In verse 12, Jesus says, "Let nothing be wasted." I'm sure I have read that before, but yesterday, it jumped off the page at me and got into my brain.
Don't you love when God does that with a piece of scripture?
The more I thought about it, the more I wondered, what did they do with the leftovers?
This miracle is recorded in all four of the Gospels, but only John records this statement. So, as far as I know, the Bible doesn't tell us what Jesus did with the leftovers, specifically. I can only guess. But what it DOES tell me, is that the leftovers were used for SOMETHING. They had a purpose.
I've always heard the lesson in this story to be that Jesus provided over and above what the people needed. He met all of their needs AND provided extra, just to make sure. And this is true. He did do that. But, He didn't just give them extra and then allow them to discard the leftovers on the ground to be carried away by animals or pile them in a garbage heap somewhere to rot. He gathered them up so that He could extend this miracle into a blessing somewhere else.
Did the people divide up the leftovers and take them home to combine with other things and make a whole new meal for later? Did the disciples keep the leftovers to eat later when they didn't have easy access to food? Did they take the leftovers into town and share them with the widows and orphans? I don't know. And really, it's not important. The point is that Jesus desires for the things He gives us to never be wasted. He has a plan and a purpose for everything He blesses us with that goes beyond the immediate circumstances.
So, what are you doing with your leftovers?
Maybe your leftovers literally are the extra food that your family doesn't eat during the meal, like in this story. Do you save it to have later, stretching the money God has provided your family for food? Do you invite others to share the meal with you or take the extra to someone who needs it? OR do you put it in a plastic container in the back of the fridge until it's unrecognizable and you have to throw it out?
But maybe your leftovers are something else.
Maybe you have extra in your finances. Maybe you have extra time (if so, lend me some!). A talent or ability? Knowledge?
Whatever it is, God has a purpose for it. Ask Him to show you how to use the extra He has given you to be a blessing somewhere else.
