Leftovers and Hand Me Downs

I was out with some the middle and high school youth picking corn for a local food bank this morning. I was really excited about getting the youth out getting to know each other and helping others locally. As I was picking corn I realized we were picking the leftovers from the good corn that was already picked to sell. I pulled a few ears with bugs or very little corn on them, and I was a little saddened by what we were giving to others. Now, I believe this is a great mission and if we hadn't picked it to give to the organization it would have gone to waste. Some "okay" corn is better than no corn. The same concept applies to thrift stores and clothing donations. They are filled with the things that nobody else wants. We can go through our closets and get rid of all the things that don't fit and that no one who could afford better would ever want to wear.

What if we were providing for someone we cared about or someone we were having over for dinner? We would cook our best meal and if they needed anything we would jump on the opportunity to provide for someone we loved and cared about. Why is it so different with people we don't know, and people less fortunate than ourselves? You can come up with simple answers, often excuses, like we never met them or my absolute least favorite line when helping other "they have nothing, so they will appreciate whatever they get." These words may be true but I believe they are some of the most rotten words to say when trying to help others. In Luke 6:27-35, Jesus talks about love in relation to others:

 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.  "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' do that. And if you lend to those from whom you expect repayment, what credit is that to you? Even 'sinners' lend to 'sinners,' expecting to be repaid in full. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.

In this passage Jesus tells us to love even our enemies. We are far from enemies with those who are in need of food and clothing. He also tells us the famous rule "do to others as you would have them do to you." You wouldn't feed your company with leftovers or provide them with old useless hand-me-downs. You would give them the best you had, because of your love and care for them. The world is full of God's children. As a Father, his desire is to provide for his children spiritually, physically, emotionally, and mentally. As children of Christ each of us is a brother and a sister to those next to us, regardless of whether we know them or how we feel about them. We are called to love others. Jesus didn't give half of himself or just the parts of himself he felt appropriate. He was obedient to the father in giving all he had, his very best to his disciples and those he ministered to. He called his disciples to do the same. In order to follow him and to love as he loved, they had to give up everything. They had to spread his love through their own lives by ministering and giving to others and showing them the love God had for them. Ephesians 5:1-2 says "Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Christ's gave his love fully to people he didn't know everyday. He provided for them with the best he had. He had to sacrifice all he had and serve with all he had. We must do the same.

It is incredible what God is doing through his people on this earth today, but simply giving is not enough. It's not about throwing money in the plate, taking your clothes to the Goodwill, giving a little extra from your harvest. These are all great things, but we must look at these moments of giving as if we were providing for our own family or loved one, because the world needs our love, not our leftovers.