Leftovers

There it is, hidden in a dark corner of the refrigerator. Remove the plastic top of the storage container and it emits a strange odor. A greenish hue is visible through the fuzz on the surface. Leftovers. Forgotten and unimportant, you would not even think of serving them to your dinner guests. Your offering to your company will be fresh and one that you have practiced many times. It will be your best effort.

The first sip of your morning coffee is not satisfying. Once again, your cup is full of grounds. The coffee pot is old and worn out. It will be replaced, but now you have to figure out what to do with the old one. First it goes into the closet, then into the basement, and finally into the garage where it awaits the annual garage sale. When it fails to sell, what do you do with the leftovers? Your spouse announces the obvious option for disposition: "Honey, I know-we should give it to the church!"

"Consider your ways!"

There is a story in the book of Haggai about a nation who withheld their best effort. The Temple was destroyed. Reconstruction had been started, but no work was done for the next 15 years. In Haggai 1:4, the prophet asks the uncomfortable question: '"Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses while this house lies desolate?"' You see, the people were appointing their own homes in luxury while neglecting the Lord's house.

The rebuke is clear in verse five: "Now therefore, thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Consider your ways!'"

Furthermore, there were consequences for their inaction in verse six: '"You have sown much, but harvest little; you eat, but there is not enough to be satisfied. . .and he who earns, earns wages to put into a purse with holes."' No matter how hard they worked, their efforts resulted in little return.

Just to make sure the message is clear, the indictment is repeated in verse seven: "Thus says the Lord of hosts, 'Consider your ways!"' In other words-you better reassess your priorities!

Perhaps we should reassess our priorities. There is nothing wrong with building our own houses, unless there is nothing left for the Master. We need to give our best to the Lord. Otherwise, a jealous God might frustrate our efforts. He gave His best for our benefit. A spirit of gratitude should result in giving our best-leftovers will not do.

The views are those of Bruce Olmstead and not those of Summit Brokerage Services. Investments in securities do not offer a fix rate of return. Principal, yield and/or share price will fluctuate with changes in market conditions and, when sold or redeemed, you may receive more or less than originally invested.  No system or financial planning strategy can guarantee future results