17 Better is a dinner of herbs where love is,
Than a fatted calf with hatred. Proverbs 15:17 (NKJV)
By Bro. John L. Cash
I know you’re busy getting ready for Christmas today, so just a few quick words for you. One of my favorite books is my copy of “Poor Richard’s Almanack” which is a collection of famous sayings by Benjamin Franklin. I’m sure you’re familiar with some of his more famous ones, such as “Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise” and “A penny saved is a penny earned.”
I encourage you to find a copy of this little treasure because the adages collected by Dr. Franklin contain great wisdom. I’ve found that reading them has helped me understand a number of things about how the world works. When I have shared them with others, they’ve expressed appreciation, too.
So, with Christmas in mind, here’s today’s lesson from Poor Richard: “Enough is as good as a feast.” Spend some time thinking about that one because it’s the truth.
Janet Clark is the lady at the country church who volunteers her time to project the hymns and Scriptures overhead in our morning worship service. She has her own personal spin on this idea of “feasting” on “enough.” She says that when you have people over for supper, the meal is always better when you run out of something, or if there’s just barely enough of one thing. She doesn’t know why, but that’s just the way it is.
I’ve thought about what Janet said. There’s something kind of overwhelming when you have a metric ton of food leftover after everyone has finished eating. There’s also something wonderful about sharing a meal and having to scrape out the corners of the pan so everybody gets some. It’s probably because Dr. Franklin knew what he was talking about all along. “Enough is as good as a feast.”
Today is the day before Christmas Eve. As you finish your preparations, try not to stress about things. Don’t waste your time striving for perfection because only God is perfect. And don’t produce piles of surplus, either, because nobody wants that. Just open your heart to the Christ Child, and open your hands to the ones you love. Do enough to make sure everyone has enough. Then your Christmas will truly be a feast.
From our house to your house, Merry Christmas….
Dr. John L. Cash is the “Country Preacher Dad.” He was raised in Stuttgart, Arkansas, and has spent the last 32 years being a country preacher in the piney woods five miles south of the little town of Hickory, Mississippi. He’s a retired Mississippi public schoolteacher with grown sons, and is now a stay-at-home-grandpa with his grandson, Landon Cash. He and his lovely wife, Susan, live in a brick house in town (where the Preacher thinks that “Poor Richard’s Almanack” would make a great gift for your husband next year.) You can send him a note at brotherjohn@ilovechurchcamp.com.
