Spring is upon us… or at least it is coming soon. With the
change in weather, we are all itching to get some cleaning, purging, and
organizing done.
On Wednesday morning, February 26th, MOPS will help us do just
that with a clothing exchange! Bring your gently used children’s clothes to
share and exchange for “new to you” clothes for your growing kids!
This exchange reminds me of the Biblical concept of gleaning.
According to Merriam-Webster,
to glean is:
to gather grain or other material that is left after the main
crop has been gathered.
In Leviticus, God gave His people special instructions to care
for the needy in their communities:
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very
edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Do not go over
your vineyard a second time or pick up the grapes that have fallen. Leave them
for the poor and the foreigner. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:9-10
We can find an excellent example of this in the book of Ruth.
Ruth takes advantage of this provision (gleaning) to provide for herself and
her mother-in-law. Boaz, who allowed Ruth to glean in his field, greatly
blessed Ruth and Naomi by obeying God’s command. (Read Ruth 2 for deeper
study).
It got me thinking:
How can we honor this concept in our culture today?
We live in a get-as-much-as-you-can society. Even our poor are
richer than the average poor worldwide. Aside from the political or sometimes
justified misgivings about providing for the poor, we are still commanded to do
so (Isaiah 10:1-3)
I fully support taking time off for missions trips and serving
inner-city soup kitchens. I think Christ-followers should be eager to do these
ministries as well.
Unfortunately, I think many of us give in a “big” way, then
check it off our lists. I believe God wants us to incorporate giving, which is
part of our worship of him, into our daily lives.
We need to recognize the art of giving as you go.
There is a time and place for grand gestures. However, the practice of
giving-so-others-can-glean places an emphasis on the simple letting-go of our
cash, time, or space.
Join
us here throughout the week to explore some practical ways to “leave” our cash,
time, and space, so others can glean from them. (Check out Part 2 on Friday!)
- Becky Rosty, MOPS Mom
Becky Rosty leads a college
ministry with her husband in the shadow of the Big Horn mountains of Wyoming.
She loves sunshine and s'mores and feels a personal responsibility to bring
both to the people in her life.
Becky is also the
future-mama to 3: twins due in July 2014, and a precious gift from South
Africa, to arrive in 2015. For now she enjoys playing with her mini-golden
doodle, Mr. Darcy.
She delights in her identity
as a failure saved by Jesus' grace. She is also a singer/songwriter, hiker,
home-maker, trip-taker, and scone-baker.
Becky has written several
original Bible-studies and is passionate about speaking truth in love to young
women. To book Becky for speaking engagements, contact via email: beckyrosty@gmail.com.
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