Value Others...Share All That God Has Given

Leviticus 19:9-10 -  ‘When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger: I am the Lord your God.

God continued to speak to Moses…much of this chapter a recap of all he has already told him. But squeezed between reminders to treat our parents with honor and respect…keep the Sabbath day holy…treat others as we would ourselves… and be fair in all our dealings with people…is a statute that tells one way we can provide for the poor.  They were to always leave the corners of their fields ungleaned…. and always leave a few grapes on the vines when harvesting the wine crops.

It is just another reminder to me that I do not own anything that God has allowed me to have in my possession. Everything I have is his … and his directive to treat others as I would myself means I am to share all of it with anyone who might need it.  God has blessed me with much more than I need… and if I listen to his still small voice close enough…he tells me ways to share much of it with others.

Be sure that God gave us more than material possessions to share.  He gave us time... love…skills …and talents.  They all belong to God…and he has many ways for us to use them for his glory.  We should always be ready to passionately share these intangible things with others that need it. Using our time to prepare a meal for someone who is sick…mowing the lawn of someone that isn’t able to mow it themselves….or just sharing a hug with someone that might be lonely spreads God’s love just as much …if not more….than a tangible offering or gift.

Father…thank you for the reminder that everything you allow me to possess on this earth still belongs to you.  Forgive me for the times that I get going too fast …or allow the noise around me to keep me from hearing how you want me to share it with others. Help me to shed the last shred of my selfish desires …and truly embrace Philippians 2:3 which says… “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves..” Amen.