Leaning Forward

When I was a young child my mother would prepare my lunch for school, and I would always request that she make my sandwich in “four halves” and I did not want the crust on the bread. I would not eat the sandwich unless she cut the crust off. Sometimes, my four year old nephew comes to stay with me, and I’ve noticed that he will not eat his sandwich unless the crust is cut off.  So when I make him a sandwich, I cut the crust off and throw in the garbage or give it to the dog. (unlike Connor and I, the dog enjoys the crust) What is it about the crust? There’s something about the outer end of the bread, the edge that’s left over, that’s just not very enticing. Does crust even serve any real purpose?

There is so much of our life that we treat like the crust on a PBJ sandwich.  Things that we don’t consider to be important or have any kind of significance that we just throw away. Things like a pocket full of change, a particular gift/talent, or extra time during the day. We cut it off and throw it away, when it could be used to brighten someone else’s day.  With our economy in the shape that it’s in, it would so easy to pinch every penny we can, but if all we think about is us, then the world shrinks to the size of us. Think for a moment how tipping someone at the drive-thru, or letting the person behind you at Wal-Mart go ahead of you, or sending an anonymous card to someone, or giving someone an impromptu compliment could influence the world around you for the better. Your random act of kindness  may go further than you could ever imagine. We think that in order to have an impact in the world that we have to do something that involves enormity and/or longevity. The truth is “no act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” God doesn’t need much, just a willingness to sacrifice what he has already given us, and for us to say yes with what we have. Mother Theresa said it this way, “It is not the magnitude of our actions but the amount of love that is put into them that matters.” Love cannot exist apart from sacrifice and choice.

In 2009, I’ve been challenged not to throw the crust away. Every little bit that I have left over, (whatever is left on the edge) whether it’s .50 out of dollar that I can tip someone at the drive-thru, or letting someone behind me at Wal-Mart go ahead of me, I’m going to sow that in faith believing that God will use that to cause man to ask himself “what is different about him?” and just maybe they will begin a conversation and a journey with the God that created them and loves them.