What's Left Over

I  have an odd "piggy" bank on my desk that I've used for years to collect any loose change I  happen to have at the end of the day. 

The bank, which is shaped like the red phone booths you find in the United Kingdom, was originally a tin of Wilson's Pure Butter English Shortbread cookies. 

This little bank has resided either in my bedroom or home office for more years than I can remember.   I  used to fill it up pretty quickly,  but now it takes a lot longer because I  don't often use cash to pay for things. 

In fact, it's almost full now, which means it won't be long before I'll take it down to my local grocery store.  There they have one of those machines that you pour your loose change into where it gets counted, and then you are able to exchange your receipt for cash.    

I'm always amazed at how much money can fit into that little red bank.  

I got to thinking this morning about the holiness of that act--how it points to a startling truth.  You see, some days all we've got left after all is said done is just a bit of loose change--metaphorically speaking.  

We are over-scheduled, over-committed, overworked, and just plain over it...  
We worry about finances, health, careers, relationships, and family... 
We bear the steady dull ache of fear, anxiety, and dread over the state of the world...

At the end of the day, we often take stock of what little we have left of our faith, hope, joy, and peace, and it doesn't look like much.  But if we are willing, we can take what's left, and offer it up to God, and that's when something amazing happens... 

We quickly discover how God can take the meager gifts of what we have left after being wrung out by the world, and multiply them in incredible ways.  

Much like the story of Jesus miraculously using just a few loaves and fishes to feed thousands, our small gifts when broken, blessed and offered in faith can be more than enough.  

Perhaps then we will have the courage to begin offering God more than what's left over.  Perhaps then we will give out of our abundance, and not our scarcity.  
Perhaps then we will discover anew what it means to truly trust.  

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you now and always. Amen.