Leftovers?

While making a meal with leftovers it can be the tastiest dish ever, but when it comes to relationships, leaving leftover’s can bring pain, confusion, and hurt to another. 

Do you often feel like you or someone in your family is being served the leftovers? Or maybe you are the one leaving the leftovers? How many times do we see husbands leaving their families, mothers leaving their children, sons, daughters serving leftovers; the list goes on and on. Right now society as a whole feels like they are leftover.

People leave the church for minor reasons; thus leftovers in the Kingdom of God. We often times over commit to others and then leave out some, distributing the leftovers in friendships. We donate items of junk to ministries that may need newly purchased items, thus giving leftovers to those who need the best. 

We must be more like the Samaritan in this story and not like the nine lepers that disappeared. Here is an example of what was left over when Jesus healed the ten lepers.

Luke 17:11-19 Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, "Jesus, Master, have pity on us!" When he saw them, he said, "Go, show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were cleansed. One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan. Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner? "Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well."

It is rewarding to reach out and love another as Christ would have you to love them even if we are told to do it from a distance. Often times a smile can soften a heart!. Serving leftovers for dinner can be a great thing, but the next time someone you know needs the best seat at your table, offer it up, serving them with all your heart. 

We should give God and others our best. He looks on our hearts. Be careful not too serve or give your leftovers.

Dear Lord, We thank you for the times in our life when we are desperate at the foot of the cross and You are there lovingly guiding us every step of the way.  May we not be as a leftover in your Kingdom, may we always seek to be there for another. Teach us Your ways especially in these seemingly hard times. We need You Lord! In Jesus name, Amen!