Soul Snack 8/15 ... Harvesting from Heaven
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. Deut 24:19
Under an orange Mediterranean sun the deft scythe action easily snaps the grain stalk. The farm hand diligently, but not always carefully, walks down each ancient near eastern row. Many stalks fall and are bundled together. Human error, or a hot sun, or just the end of the day guarantee some sheaves are not collected.
Accumulation accommodates indulgence, 'greed is good' and discontent the lot of the greedy.
Heaven sees my hands, heaven knows my heart.
It would be easy to miss a sheath, when all harvesting was done by hand. God understands this error. God would use this error for the well-being of two people, both the beggar and the owner.
God is happy for the beggar to follow the farm hand, this is not a beggar thieving, but rather enjoying God's providence.
The owner has the right to collect all. He chooses to release his possessions. This is his care for another far less fortunate. Others will gain through his generosity. Accumulation has not been on the owner's mind, and indulgence denied.
Such an owner has sown well by releasing his goodwill, even his prosperity, to another.
I am releasing heaven's goodwill to me, by harvesting for another. Then I have truly sown well for myself.