What the Bible says about Waste
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Proverbs 24:30-34 Many proverbs refer to the deleterious effects of neglect or passivity involving the sluggard as both the perpetrator and recipient of ruin and waste. It is a perennial theme throughout the wisdom literature of the Bible: » Proverbs 15:19: The way of the lazy man is like a hedge of thorns, but the way of the upright is a highway. » Proverbs 12:27: The lazy man does not roast what he took in hunting, but diligence is man's precious possession. » Ecclesiastes 10:18: Because of laziness the building decays, and through idleness of hands the house leaks. In each of these examples, destruction, decay, or corruption are shown to be the cumulative effects of neglect. A modest coat of paint will protect metal and wood surfaces from rust, rot, and the ravages of weather. However, doing nothing will cause structures to decay incrementally, looking as though terrorists had intended to destroy them. Who needs bombs and explosives when the same effect can be accomplished by doing absolutely nothing? David F. Maas Could You Be a Spiritual Terrorist? Related Topics: Decay | Deleterious Effects of Neglect | Deleterious Effects of Passivity | Destruction | Evil, Passive | Idleness | Idleness, Habit of | Laziness | Lazy | Neglect | Passive Disobedience | Passive Terrorism | Sluggard | Sluggard as Perpetrator of Ruin | Spiritual Terrorists | Terrorists, Spiritual | Waste

John 6:10-14 On the next day, Jesus taught in the synagogue in Capernaum, saying, "I am the Bread of Life" (John 6:32, 35, 48). Though willing to receive the physical bread, many would not receive the living Bread—Jesus Christ who came down from heaven. Thus, the miracle of feeding the multitude was actually a sermon with visual aids. The main lesson of the miracle is that Christ is the Bread of Life to a dying humanity, and in Him, there is enough to satisfy the entire world. Only He can satisfy the spiritual hunger in mankind. Jesus says, "I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world. . . . Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you" (John 6:51, 53). The Bread that is Jesus gives life in the present (John 6:35, 47) and eternal life in the future (John 6:27, 40). The tragedy is that people waste time and money on "that which is not bread" (Isaiah 55:1-7). Waste is an enemy of miraculous generosity, so great care was taken to collect the leftovers, though we are not told how they were used. The lesson is that overabundance does not justify waste. We also learn that Christ asks that we give Him all that we have and allow Him to use it as He sees fit. When we do this, we never lose, always ending up with more blessings than when we started. Martin G. Collins The Miracles of Jesus Christ: Feeding the Five Thousand (Part Two) Related Topics: Bread of Life | Jesus Christ as Bread of Life | Jesus Christ's Miracles: Feeding of Five Thousand | Miracles of Jesus Christ: Feeding of 5000 | Waste

 

		The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. See what over 155,000 subscribers are already receiving each day. Email Address:     A Faithful VersionKing James VersionNew International VersionNew King James Version Leave this field empty
We respect your privacy. Your email address will not be sold, distributed, rented, or in any way given out to a third party. We have nothing to sell. You may easily unsubscribe at any time.