In the middle of her shopping trip this lady felt the need for a coffee break.
So she bought herself a little packet of biscuits and put them in her shopping bag, ordered a coffee, found a place to sit at one of the crowded tables outside, took a magazine out of her bag and began to sip her coffee.
Across the table from her a man sat reading his newspaper.
After a minute or two she reached out and took a biscuit.
As she did so, the man also reached out and took one.
She was not amused but she didn’t say anything.
A short while later she took another biscuit.
Once again the man did so too.
Now she was getting quite upset, but still she decided not say anything.
After having a few more sips of coffee she took a third biscuit.
So did the man.
She was really annoyed by this - especially because now only one biscuit was left.
Obviously the man had also realized that it was the last biscuit because, before she could say anything, he took it, broke it in half, offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half himself.
Then he smiled at her and, tucking his newspaper under his arm, got up and walked away.
She was so cross!!
She folded her magazine and angrily shoved it into her shopping bag, only then to discover her own unopened packet of biscuits.
Does this story illustrate how we sometimes behave?
Do we take for granted what we have?
Do we fail to acknowledge God’s goodness and generosity to us?
This harvest time is a real opportunity to un-blind our eyes, to consider the gracious generosity of our loving heavenly Father and to offer ourselves and all that we have in thankfulness to Him.
In Deuteronomy 8, we read of Moses reminding the people of Israel of how God has blessed them and then, in verses 17 and 18, he says:
‘Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gained me this wealth.’
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.’
Ken Markham
So she bought herself a little packet of biscuits and put them in her shopping bag, ordered a coffee, found a place to sit at one of the crowded tables outside, took a magazine out of her bag and began to sip her coffee.
Across the table from her a man sat reading his newspaper.
After a minute or two she reached out and took a biscuit.
As she did so, the man also reached out and took one.
She was not amused but she didn’t say anything.
A short while later she took another biscuit.
Once again the man did so too.
Now she was getting quite upset, but still she decided not say anything.
After having a few more sips of coffee she took a third biscuit.
So did the man.
She was really annoyed by this - especially because now only one biscuit was left.
Obviously the man had also realized that it was the last biscuit because, before she could say anything, he took it, broke it in half, offered half to her, and proceeded to eat the other half himself.
Then he smiled at her and, tucking his newspaper under his arm, got up and walked away.
She was so cross!!
She folded her magazine and angrily shoved it into her shopping bag, only then to discover her own unopened packet of biscuits.
Does this story illustrate how we sometimes behave?
Do we take for granted what we have?
Do we fail to acknowledge God’s goodness and generosity to us?
This harvest time is a real opportunity to un-blind our eyes, to consider the gracious generosity of our loving heavenly Father and to offer ourselves and all that we have in thankfulness to Him.
In Deuteronomy 8, we read of Moses reminding the people of Israel of how God has blessed them and then, in verses 17 and 18, he says:
‘Beware lest you say in your heart, ‘My power and the might of my own hand have gained me this wealth.’
But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, so that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers, as it is this day.’
Ken Markham
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