Being A Biblical Wife in a Modern World

Clean Your Plate!

When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted."

~ John 6:12 ~

This morning I discovered just how wasteful I really am. I mean... I'm a pretty wasteful person. Whether it's food, clothes, money... I can throw it away in the snap of a finger. Examples: I pulled out a dish from a meal that my hubby and I had recently shared and there was still a good serving or two left but unfortunately, we just let it sit in the fridge. Wasteful. A couple of weeks ago I discovered a bin of clothes under our bed. It was full of several shirts and pants and the majority of these items haven't been touched in 2 years. Wasteful. I have a pile of books sitting on our bookshelf because the price on Amazon was just too good to pass up. Wasteful. I'm hoping many of you can relate! And let's not even get started on how much time we can all waste. In John 6:12, Jesus clearly instructs his disciples to waste nothing. This is an instruction for us as well... waste nothing!

It is a command that I'm sure many of us tend to overlook. At times, I know I am guilty of taking the food on my table or the money in my bank account for granted. I was looking in mine and my hubby's closet the other morning and I felt disgusted by the fact that I was complaining that I had nothing to wear. I have plenty to wear and then some! I have things sitting in my closet just collecting dust. When I make that trip to Target, is it really necessary to pick up those "extra" items... every time? NO! That is money that I could put towards a much greater cause. All these little "things" add up to so much more and it is astonishing to sit here and reflect on how much "stuff" I have wasted.

Reading this verse really struck a chord with me and made me realize that I must do a better job at giving back and utilizing everything that God has blessed us with. As believers, we have the gift to reach out and share His teachings. We have the capability to show the world our beliefs and share God's goodness, but are we wasting these gifts? Are we truly taking advantage of each and every interaction and conversation to share the Lord's light? Are we truly using everything that He has given us?

There are so many people in this world who do not know the Lord or know what the Bible teaches. There are so many people who are stricken with hunger. There are so many people who do not know where their next paycheck is coming from. These thoughts are absolutely crushing but it makes me so thankful for what I do have and it makes me want to take care of and protect what I have been given. The Lord has always provided for me in some way so how in the world is it right that I'm wasting His blessings? It's not, so a change must be made. Let's not waste what the Lord has given our families. Let's not take these blessings for granted. We need to find ways to use these gifts and give back these gifts to others and share the love of the Lord with those around us.