Leftovers

I made a mistake. 

There was a man standing on the side of the road.  In his hands he held a sign and scribbled on that sign were the words - "just hungry.  anything will help. (leftovers)" 

Well wouldn't you know, I was coming from Jersey Mikes (a sandwich shop) and had half of my sandwich nicely wrapped up in the center console.  Leftovers.

My first thought - "I'm saving my sandwich for later.  That's tomorrows lunch!"  Shameful.

Then I began to think - "Ok, no, I'll just give it to him, that's what Jesus would want me to do." 

But then the light turned green and I had places to go.

The further away I got from the poor old man the worse I felt.  Maybe my sandwich would have been his only opportunity for dinner that night...maybe not.  Who cares really?  I should have handed over that stupid sandwich. 

Repentance immediately went into full effect.

I know that I'm forgiven.  In fact, God has thoroughly impacted me with this experience.  It's almost as if He planned it this way. ;-)

Matthew 25: 35-40
"For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in. I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to vist me.
Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?'
The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"

Scripture tells us that whatever we do for the "least of these" we have done for our Father.  In the same way, whatever we do not do, we have not done for our Father.

Leftovers.  Food that we couldn't fit into our bodies because we had already stuffed our selves full of other yummy food.  Funny thing is, we so easily hoard these "leftovers" for later - more times than not, we end of throwing them away. 

Reality check.  1 child dies every 4 seconds due to starvation.  4 SECONDS.  We are so busy preparing extravagent feasts to even remember that.  Myself included. 

No, I can't send my leftovers to these sweet children of God.  But I could give it to someone in need.  Someone who hasn't had a meal today.  A child of God right here in my own city.  Perhaps, someone who's standing right on the side of the road with a signs that screams "hungry"!

Wasn't I just saying in my last post that we start the process of telling others about Jesus by tangibly SHOWING them Gods love?  I also said that it was a work in progress and I'd say after this little instance, I'm one step forward.

In the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan there is a passage that has etched itself upon my brain.  The question was begged (directed to God), "Why are so many people dying of starvation?"  The author then challenged me with the sentence: "He has more of a right to ask us why so many people are starving."

Whoa.  God created this earth, every man, every creature, every plant.  There is enough here through the power of God to sustain us.  But we are keeping (hoarding really) everything for ourselves, while others go without.  Why can't we share?  Provide?  Love others by giving?  

I'm sure the man on the side of the road wasn't dying of starvation.  It's very hard to go without a meal here in Charlotte.  But how would I feel if I was hungry and all I needed was for someone to hand me a measly, half eaten sandwich, yet no one could muster up the generosity?

I am no one to judge his circumstance.  Who knows what happened in his life that left him hungry on the side of the road.  My only responsibility is to help.

I want to please my Father in heaven.  I want to feed the "least of these," physically and spiritually.  I have plenty.  No, I have more than plenty.  I have excess. 

Here is my plan.  I will purchase unperishable food.  I will put them into ziplock bags and have them in the back seat of my car.  I will hand them out to those hungry and homeless.  Better than "leftovers," I'll give them "brand new" food. 

Because you know, I am now accountable. 

God broke my heart for this man,  He broke it with a purpose.

Sams Club, here I come!