Dear Friends,

Today, in the video, I talked about how all that we have comes from God’s hand.  Our life is best spent using what He has given to us in order to glorify Jesus, who, in turn, glorifies the Father.  I mentioned that our reason for existence is to be a gracious conduit of the gifts God has given to us.

I love the way that Scripture is new every time I read it.  This fall, I have been reading through the Bible, beginning with the Old Testament.  Recently, in reading Leviticus (a place that I would not expect to find a new nugget of wisdom, necessarily), I came across this verse,  “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 alien. I am the Lord your God.” Leviticus 19:9-10 (NIV)

In order for us to give away what God has given to us, we have to have some level of margin in our lives – spiritually, emotionally, financially, etc.  Our pace of life and our expectations within it frequently cause us to live life all the way up to the edge in every area.  When we are living without margin, we find it nearly impossible to open our hands to give to others, even in our own families, because our fists are clenched, squeezing the last drop of life out of a day or a bank account or a relationship.  

Part of recognizing God’s gifts and His ultimate ownership of our resources is a commitment to leaving some “extra” along the way.  If we are consistently leaving extra time, money, emotional energy, etc., we will have both the awareness and the resources when we encounter a need.  I know that having margin is very counter-cultural, but I believe that God’s word to His people in Leviticus applies fully to our lives today.

May we each seek to leave a little around the edges, in recognition of God’s control and His blessings.  May we seek to know where He want us to offer our margin to another soul.

Blessings,

Ron