Exhortation Station

Leviticus 19:9,10 —

“Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. ¹⁰ Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am YHWH your Elohim.”

In these verses, Yahweh commands us not to reap to the very corners of our fields, but to leave gleanings for the needy and stranger. I think there are principles embedded in this passage that apply to more than agriculture. The point is that we ought to be mindful of those who might be brought a little joy by even a small portion of what we’ve been blessed with. Yahweh doesn’t want us to be people who hoard every last scrap to maximize production volume. This simple, practical instruction reminds us to develop habits of generosity. It puts a check on our propensity to put personal success on a pedestal to which it was never meant to be elevated.

Though not all of us have gardens and vineyards, we all have something, whether wealth, insights, talents, or time. We can either hoard these wonderful gifts for our own purposes or “leave the gleanings” for others in need. Do we apply our minds diligently at work while failing to consider a friend who could use another brain to help navigate a challenging situation? Do we enjoy the spotlight when our talents shine yet neglect to employ those talents to edify our brothers? It may not even be bad intentions. Negligence and forgetfulness are just as damaging.

It really goes back to where we are storing up treasure.

Matthew 6:19-21 —

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; ²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

Luke 12:15-21 —

Then He [Yeshua] said to them, “Beware, and be on your guard against every form of greed; for not even when one has an abundance does his life consist of his possessions.” ¹⁶ And He told them a parable, saying, “The land of a rich man was very productive. ¹⁷ And he began reasoning to himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no place to store my crops?’ ¹⁸ Then he said, ‘This is what I will do: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹ And I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years to come; take your ease, eat, drink and be merry.”‘ ²⁰ But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your soul is required of you; and now who will own what you have prepared?’ ²¹ So is the man who stores up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”

Of course, many aspects of our walk require that we give more than mere “gleanings.” Children, for example, need Mom and Dad to pour generous time into their lives. Yahweh wants all of our hearts, not just the leftover corners. I’m just trying to get us to think about areas where we can set aside even a little bit of what Yah has given us to help someone else. It makes a difference.

What about time? Man, that’s a big one (I’m convicting myself even bringing it up). It’s one thing to throw some money into the offering plate. Often the real test of how much we value something is how much time we are willing to put into it. As we grow older, the fact that time is precious hits harder and harder. Are we willing to interrupt our daily pattern to spend time for a friend? If we constantly burn the candle at both ends, we won’t have any light left at the end of the day to share with someone who needs a little sunshine.

I’m in college right now, and the demands can be heavy. I’m the type of person who is driven to study hard, get good grades, etc. While diligence is a good thing, I have to remind myself that it is worth setting aside some time for “people things.” Even taking time to talk with someone over lunch helps break monotonous patterns and drive home the bigger picture.

Let’s be mindful of how we are using the fruits of our labors. May we be ones who are rich toward God so that when we leave behind every last earthly possession, we will have a stockpile of heavenly rewards waiting for us!

1 Peter 4:7-10 —

“The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. ⁸ Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. ⁹ Be hospitable to one another without complaint. ¹⁰ As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”

(Bible passages NASB 1995; Hebrew transl. added)