John 6:12 When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, “Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted.”
He had access to all the bread and fish in the world. He had just taken five loaves of bread and two small fish and turned them into enough to feed five thousand people. And if that wasn’t enough, a surplus of twelve basketfuls remained. Does that strike anyone else’s curiosity? Why would Jesus be concerned about not wasting food? About leftovers?
Jesus demonstrated the importance of stewardship in everything he did, whether it involved food, resources, time or talents. He didn’t waste one minute of his call. He used all the resources around him to help the disciples understand basic truths. Mustard seeds, fishing nets and leaven bread became lessons about the Kingdom of God (Matthew 13). A poor widow who put all she had in the temple treasury became an illustration of what true devotion to God looks like (Luke 21:1-4). He used a prodigal son to offer a picture of the Father heart of God (Luke 15:11-32).
And in a world filled with people who suffer as outcasts, losers, and underdogs, Jesus calls them friends. For him, there are no “leftover” people. He sees potential even in those whose poor choices have left them wasting away. Jesus never gave the people in his life anything but his full attention. No drifting eyes to the crowd when he was engaged in a conversation. No wandering mind about where he was going to sleep that night when someone asked him a question or presented a need. He was fully present.
I think he wants us to steward life the way he did.
We’ve all heard the phrase, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” But so is love that breaks down walls. So is kindness that turns away wrath. So is hope that frees people from despair. So is faith that can move mountains. If you are a follower of Christ, you have access to all these things. He has made them available to you for a purpose. Don’t neglect them.
You don’t want to get to the end of your life and see all your potential stacked in a heap of leftovers. Neither do I.