Second Best and Left Overs

A food drive...I scour my shelves and cupboards for the cans and boxes of non perishables that we haven't eaten or my family just won't eat.

Left Overs.

I give the things that I don't want.

I offer the least favorite.

I offer what I don't want.

I hurry and throw them in a bag.


Could I give our favorite things? Would I consider it a risk or a burden to hand over the best, the things we love, the yummy stuff.

The old left overs.

That is easy to give. It doesn't affect me in any way...and I gave to a good cause.

Someone else gets the left overs. How do they feel? What do they think? Do they feel loved or special? Or do they know...do they know there was no sacrifice? That what they got was just the unwanted, dust collecting cans and boxes that have sat unused on a shelf in a garage or in a dark cupboard.

Do they feel like a left over? Do they see their real worth or are they constantly showed that they are only worthy of left overs?

God tells us to sacrifice. God tells us to deny ourselves. God tells us to love others.

Do I give my best to God? Or do I give him only a token moment of my time? Do I give the leftover moments of my time?

Oh...God...I pray that I will give you the best...that I will not just grab the leftovers off the shelf and half heartedly give them to you.

Do I give my best to my family?

Are they only getting what is left of me after I work and clean and organize and check my emai and take care of "things"?

Do I do the things God is calling me to do or do I just think about them and then give God only what I feel comfortable giving...safe..unstretched...and familiar?

Where is my boldness? Where is my sacrifice? Where is my best? What am I giving?