"Waste Not, Want Not"

Many years ago, my grandmother taught me this old maxim: "Waste not, want not." It's sad to see that in our materialistic society, this maxim has long gone by the wayside in application.

For example, in our public schools, waste in an ongoing problem. In the school district where I am employed, there is brand new furniture sitting idle in warehouses that has never been used. There are portable computers for children designed to enhance their ability to read, that are also sitting in warehouses collecting dust. Other wasteful and useless projects are seemingly the norm for school districts across our nation.

The waste of good food is another area of concern in our public schools. Students throw much of the food in their food trays in the trash that could be used to feed the hungry. In one news report, a Chicago public school discarded 334 pounds of uneaten whole food in a single day.

Why are we such a wasteful society? Simply because that in a materially abundant society such as ours, individuals tend to take the things that God has blessed us with for granted, and thus whatever is not wanted after being satiated, is immediately disposed of. No consideration of the poor or less fortunate is even thought of.

The prodigal son had such a mindset — so much so, that he spent all of his inheritance in a far country — he literally "wasted his substance with riotous living" (Luke 15:13 KJV). At a point in time, there came a horrific famine in the land, causing the son to be in severe want (Luke 15:14). To prevent starvation, the son was forced to lower himself to the lowest level of servitude possible for a Jew — that of feeding pigs [swine] (Luke 15:15). We dare not be found being wasteful, for we might find ourselves one day in the same circumstances and condition as the prodigal son.

As Christians, we are stewards of what God has provided us with (1 Corinthians 4:1-2; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10; cf. Luke 16:1-12). Whatever we possess, is to be used for expanding the Lord's kingdom, the church, thus bringing glory and honor to Him (Matthew 5:16; John 15:7-8; cf. Philippians 1:8-11). Beloved, let us not waste anything that we have abundantly received from God, whether it be our time, talents, or wealth, but use these things to benefit others less fortunate, both physically and spiritually (cf. Acts 2:41-47; Acts 3:1-9; Acts 4:31-37).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets