Many of us have benefited from gleaning. It may not have been a necessity (as it was for Ruth), but it sure did make life a little better. We have been blessed by folks who grow more than they needed in their garden; then give much of it away. “Hand me down” clothes were a way of life that kept everyone dressed. I could not begin to count all the kindnesses that Pat and I have gleaned over the years from people who have shared some of their life with us.

Do you remember houses that where decorated and furnished with a collage of things gleaned from others? Almost everything in the house came from family and friends. Each piece of furniture or “knick-knack” had a story that made it unique. Just being in the house was like living in a storybook of chapters written and being written.

Imagine all the bits and pieces of Christian living that we received from others who left a little inspiration, faith, and love for us to pick up. Each piece helped form who we are as Christians.

What are we leaving for others to pick up along the way? Someone has said that we are blessed so that we can be a blessing. “To whom much is given, much is required.” I hope that those who follow us can offer future generations some kindness, goodness, and even a bit of wisdom, that they picked up in our field. This song says it well:

“After all our hopes and dreams
have come and gone,
and our children sift thru all
we’ve left behind,
may the clues that they discover,
and the memories they uncover,
become the light that leads them,
to the road we each must find.
May those who come behind us find us faithful.”