If we were to calculate the amount of waste we produce daily, most of us would discover that we are bouncing too much, including food.
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But, if we had the opportunity, would we want to look in detail at what we throw? The fact is that our garbage can impart wisdom. She reminds us that we are not independent creatures that we stand by our own efforts or resources.
We can not stop creating waste. Even the purest water will become waste in our body. There is always something left over. The dead are the only ones who do not produce anything.
In this country, we tend to be wasteful. We are inclined to tire of our clothes before they wear out. We often serve too much food and throw away the rest, burying more than 30 million tons of food in garbage dumps every year (as a nation, we generate around 250 million tons of waste annually).
The truth is that we bounce a lot because we buy too much. And we buy too much because, in the country of abundance, it is not always easy to know the difference between need and desire. Following the logic, there is something that is clear: in terms of human economy, when we have more, we throw more.
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But it is not like that in God's economy. In John 6.1-14, we read about the time when Jesus turned a boy's lunch into a banquet for 5,000 men.
When all had eaten and were amazed, He said to His disciples, "Gather up the pieces left over, so that nothing is lost" (v. 12). Despite his ability to produce infinite resources, Jesus recommended saving.
That is hardly what we expect. When food is scarce, when resources are few, and when a god is limited and his miracles are rare, we expect frugality.
Yes, we save every crumb! Because who knows if there will be more later! But when has the God of all plenitude ceased to satisfy every appetite and satisfy every need? Even so, what does not miss anything? Yes even then. Especially like that. In times of abundance, as well as shortages, God's resources are precious.
In the Lord's economy -both in abundance and in saving- we are called not to waste anything. In the parable of the talents of the Lord Jesus (Mt 25.14-29), we see this again. Two men answer correctly in terms of the vast resources entrusted to them by their master (a "talent" was equivalent to twenty years of salary). They invest wisely and earn more, returning the double to their master.
But the last man, who had received the least amount of money, does not use what he received but buries it out of fear and distrust. Then he reluctantly returns it to his boss, saying: "Lord, I knew you were a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and picking up where you did not scatter (v. 24).
Not only does he fail to make use of the resource that his master had provided him, but his motivation not to use it actually increases his crime: he projects his own pettiness to a giving man. By not trusting in what his master has given him, nor in his generous nature, man loses everything. Meanwhile, men who have doubled their money are given more.
We have to remember that Jesus' words rarely work on only one level. Later, in the text of John 6, He gives a new meaning to what the disciples had witnessed in the feeding of the 5,000.
The Lord Jesus clearly identifies himself as the bread from heaven (v. 41), and in doing so he implies that his body was broken to provide us with a life that has no end. The disciples should not waste even the leftover crumbs.
In the same way, we should not waste the bread of our tables or the redemption that the bread symbolizes. We must not waste the broken body of Christ. We must value our redemption and treasure it to feed others.
To use our redemption well, we can not bury or store what the Lord puts under our stewardship - neither our money nor our time; nor (literally) our talents, affections, losses, afflictions or strengths. Like the men in the parable, whether we are given one or five bags of gold, we are expected to use and multiply what we have received, for the success of all.
We serve the God of abundance and also of the saving, whose measures are very different from ours. In a wasteful culture that incites us, paradoxically, to consume on the one hand, and to get out of things on the other, the Lord quietly orders us, in the middle of a banquet: That nothing be lost.
When we see well the value of all that God has given us, and we use it correctly, we can expect to hear the words of Matthew 25.23: "You have been faithful over a little, I will set you much; enter into the joy of your lord. "
The eternal economy of God. Every day is written and spoken much about the human economy, which is collapsing even when many struggle to raise it, but who deals with the economy of God? The God who made all things in which all things subsist, the One who is the source of life and who is above all, for all and in all - He has an economy! If God has an economy then man must be in it! The desire of the heart of God is related to man and centered on man, since he is the masterpiece of His creation.
DR
I love the way you related what goes on everyday in our economy to that of the economy of God. God truly hates waste and we must do same.
One thing God doesn't want us to waste is our precious life. In Corinthians 6:20 the bible says that : For we were bought at a price and therefore we should glorify God in our bodies.
Our very own life and salvation shoud be valued and should be preserved at all times.
Moreover we can't let souls go waste. Many people are living their lives anyhow and it is you and I who must reach out to them to preach the word.
We cannot let souls go waste in anyway. I pray that God gives us more grace to live in a manner which is acceptable to Him.
Thanks for sharing this great post.
Well said my friend, thanks for sharing this post, as i have been able to learn a word or two from this post
beautiful post
God’s riches are simply Himself. God desires to dispense Himself into humanity. For this, God made an economy.
Beautifully composed write up.
Prayer is the only thing which can save us from all sorts of evil and keep us moving and making Gods presence be with us.
Our stinginess atimes is the cause of our stagnation. Givers will continue to havebso they can give more
The word ECONOMY is the Castilianized form of the Greek word oikonomia, which in turn consists of two words, oikos (meaning house) and nomos (meaning law). Hence, oikonomia refers to the management of the house, the administrative arrangements in relation to the family. "In 1927 Watchman Nee published The Spiritual Man, a classic spiritual work on Christian growth and progress, in which Watchman Nee presents the simple Biblical truth that man is made up of three parts - spirit, soul and body - which It is an essential and essential revelation that helps believers to progress in their spiritual life.In The Economy of God, Witness Lee, one of Watchman Nee's closest and most faithful collaborators, continues to build on this foundation, in order to give to know the central revelation of the Bible, namely: that God desires to be imparted in man in order to fully express himself through the church In God's economy, Witness Lee clearly reveals the movement of the Divine Trinity and gives the believers practical ways in which they can cooperate with God for the fulfillment of His eternal plan.
The Lord Jesus clearly identifies himself as the bread from heaven (v. 41), and in doing so he implies that his body was broken to provide us with a life that has no end. The disciples should not waste even the leftover crumbs.
Exactly.
To work in the vineyard of the Lord, we must realize that we have to be able to multiply what we are given. This is because the Lord didn't put us there to squander but to multiply that which we were given so as to yield more.
Great post. In terms of the economy of God, I have another clear experience or teaching from God - that's when I was taking the Perspectives course and to look at how God view resources vs. the 1 lost sheep. I am going to write something about it. Stay tune sister.
That's a fact
The situation of men are so many but that doesn't mean that God will not attend to all of them one by one.
His eyes are too far to see the unseen , his ear is too large to hear all your complains .
Prayer is the only thing which can save us from all sorts of evil and keep us moving and making Gods presence be with us.
Christ when he came to the earth has given us power and authority to always be with him in prayer .
He gave example of what we should be praying for everyday
Thanks for sharing this, when God provide for our needs and we have in access, we still find it difficult to give to those who doesn't have around us, we prefer to waste it than to give out.
Lord quietly orders us, in the middle of a banquet: That nothing be lost.
God is exceedingly rich, and His wealth is countless. However, the riches of God are far more precious than gold or diamonds. God’s riches are simply Himself. God desires to dispense Himself into humanity. For this, God made an economy.
Beautifully composed write up
excelent post xiore beautifult..
This is a word I needed to hear tonight. Faithfulness in the little things is all he asks until he gives more power and asks for more sacrifice. I am laid out on the floor trying to un-kink my back so I can work tomorrow. I need grace for my weakness and maybe some humility...
I was curious if the word "lost" could mean "wasted" and found out that it certainly could mean just that. I've been frugal all my life, mainly out of necessity because I have given up the money I could have made in computer science to follow the Lord into Bible College but even in times of plenty I still spend money the same way - frugally - because a penny saved today is a penny earned when you really need it. I appreciate your pointing out these words of Jesus because I had not noticed them as relating to frugality before. Thanks and God bless.
Stewardship includes managing everything from life, ministry, gifts, talents, and time, to material goods and money. Thank you for sharing God bless you
God's Economy is Exceedingly productive.. And for we Believer find our selfs in it, we are previlaged whereby urging us to be a good #STEWARD and make good use of his provisions.
Lovely post 👌👌
Our miserliness atimes is the reason for our dullnes.
remember me in your prayers @shahidshah
Exactly.
that God desires to be imparted in man in order to fully express himself through the church In God's economy, Witness Lee clearly reveals the movement of the Divine Trinity and gives the believers practical ways in which they can cooperate with God for the fulfillment of His eternal plan.
beautiful nices and amazing posts
thanks for sharing htis posts