“When you harvest the crops of your land, do not harvest the grain along the edges of your fields, and do not pick up what the harvesters drop. It is the same with your grape crop—do not strip every last bunch of grapes from the vines, and do not pick up the grapes that fall to the ground. Leave them for the poor and the foreigners living among you. I am the LORD your God.”
Creature comforts abound here in the United States. Despite the broken promises of the American dream, our society still runs on its founding premise of pursuing life, liberty, and happiness. We adhere to its values of working hard and striving for more. We participate in the system: work, play, eat, sleep. Get a better job. Get a better house. Get better clothes. Get better gadgets. Then repeat. And repeat, and repeat again. There are always more creature comforts to be had. And more is always better.
Or is it?
The painful truth is that more is never enough. As I’ve pursued the increase of my creature comforts, it has kept the focus of my life on me, myself, and I; it keeps me oblivious to the needs of others. It builds the buffer of my comfort zone so thick that I don’t have to be affected by the world beyond.
God’s people, however, are called to something greater. Our lives are not meant to feed only our own needs and serve only our own whims. Our lives are to be a source of nourishment and comfort for others.
The American dream has taught us to trust in the world’s kingdom to comfort and satisfy. We exploit the old kingdom to build up mini-kingdoms of wealth, power, and prestige. But God’s people are to grow God’s kingdom, inviting others into his love and mercy. We are to share God’s comfort with the world—not hoard it. As God’s kingdom grows, his comfort abounds “as far as the curse is found.” This truly is the more our hearts long for.
Reflect:
Read Leviticus 19:9–10. How do these principles of reaping, margin, and harvest apply to your life pursuits?
Pray:
Ask God to show you one specific way to harvest your life to the benefit of those in need.
While we pray for peace, we need moral clarity about this war.
We’ve got little information on Jesus’ appearance and personality. But that’s the way God designed it.españolFrançais
The Grammy-winning artist was found dead at her home in Nashville at age 47.
