By Rachelle
Sunday dinner is a special meal-something that I cook early on Sunday morning or cook in the crockpot while I’m at church, food that is delicious, comforting, and made with love.
Sunday is set aside for me and my daughters; no cell phones, a time to share stories, jokes, and a chance to watch a good movie and lounge.
Occasionally, I cook too much, and then there is food left to store away for Monday. If I think I am unable to eat the leftovers within three-four days, I freeze them immediately. No amount is too little to save for another meal.
Saving leftovers is a quick way to pack lunch. Just pop them into the right-sized container, and you’re ready to go! I can appreciate leftovers when I have a busy schedule and no time to make a meal. The seasoning tends to be enhanced overnight, producing more flavor, which is why leftovers can taste so good.
Leftovers are not for everyone. Whatever the situation throwing food out is not an option. Somewhere around 40 percent of all food is wasted in the United States. Thrown away! Whether you’re eating at home or out at a restaurant, don’t let leftover edible food go to waste or throw it in the trash.
Instead of throwing food in the trash, I find myself reinventing or recreating leftovers, and in a matter of minutes, the leftovers once considered trash easily become a new dish, a treasure.
God has a way of turning leftovers and trash into treasure, and that’s what Jesus Christ wants to do in our lives. Like a recipe, here’s the plan.
First, Jesus finds us like he found Matthew the tax collector (Matthew 9:9). Tax collectors were known for being dishonest. Not only did they cheat their own people. They did their best to deceive the government. Tax collectors received a great deal of their income by taking bribes from rich people who wanted to avoid paying the taxes they owed. And in that day and time, Matthew was certainly considered to be a piece of trash.
The good thing about Jesus is He finds people where they are, the same thing He wants us to do. He wants us to go to our places of work, and homes, but it is not only a matter of geography; it is a matter of the heart.
Once Jesus finds us, He invites us to follow Him. He extended his hand to Matthew and suggested he follow Him, and Matthew got up and followed Him. There is always a witness, and what I mean by that is someone is always watching you, and when someone sees you follow Him, they may follow Him too.
Like Sunday meals are reinvented instead of thrown in the trash and are recreated into a treasured meal. Jesus turns trash into treasure by fellowshipping with us. Jesus sat at Matthew’s table (Matthew9:10-11), and as other tax collectors came to eat, He paid no mind to the unbelieving Pharisees. He continued to fellowship with all of them.
The reason Jesus fellowships with us is because He loves us. We are special. He draws close to us to help us and change us. He doesn’t throw us away. Jesus comes close to us to turn our darkness into light, and to transform us from the inside out. He desires to take our trash and turn it into treasure so that we will learn from Him and show the same mercy to others.
Founder & Executive Director, How Come, How Long
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