WASTE NOT

When they were filled, he said unto his disciples, gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost. (John 6:12)

Rather than go to a restaurant and order an entrée, I love buffets because I can eat a variety of food and as much as I so desire. I usually eat what I take because I don’t like the idea of wasting food; however, there are many people that don’t mind wasting. Sometimes the management will put up a sign requesting people to take only what they will eat or they will have someone serving and placing small portions on your plate.

Though going to a buffet exposes a prime example of wasting in our culture there is a host of other areas where we do the same thing. Quite a few of us purchase large quantities of the thing we love only to use it occasionally and many of us hold on to things that we frequently or never use. Many times we spend our monies on frivolous items that after a few days we wish we never purchased and we keep it because we are too lazy to return it. Some of us discard items that others would gladly use for we forget the saying, “One man’s trash is another man’s treasure” and I can honestly say I have often gladly received another man’s trash.

In the above scripture Jesus fed five thousand men plus women and children with five barley loaves and two small fishes from a lad that was in the crowd of people that had followed Him. Jesus did not regard the beginning small quantity; He blessed it and gave it to His disciples to be distributed. A miracle took place and the meal was multiplied over and over again. After all the people had eaten and were full He had His disciples pick up the fragments which filled twelve baskets because He did not want anything that was edible to be wasted. He showed us that just because things appear small it does not mean that it cannot increase. Though people may have touched the fish and bread someone who was hungry would enjoy and appreciate the scrapes.

With this in mind I encourage each of you, “Don’t let these things go to waste.” Gather the things that you have and are not using for distribution for though you handled things before others received it, it is still good and usable.