Leftover & Left Behind

What if holiness isn't just about personal purity--but how we treat the vulnerable? In this episode, we begin a new series called Love Thy Neighbor, where we explore how God's command to leave the edges of the harvest was never just about farming. It was about compassion.

In a world that pushes us to take more and protect what is ours, this message challenges us to live with intentional margin--because God's love leaves room for others.

Whether you are listening from rural Kentucky or across the globe, this message invites you to ask: Who might be blessed by the space I choose to leave?

Linkoln shares his story on why he started coming to Ravenna Church of the Nazarene and shares why you should consider doing the same.

Ravenna Church of the Nazarene
530 Main Street, Ravenna, KY 40472

Transcript

LOVE THY NEIGHBOR

#1 LEFTOVER & LEFT BEHIND

     We are starting a new series called “Love Thy Neighbor.” When Jesus said, “Love God and love your neighbor,” He was not making something up—He was summarizing what has always been the heart of God. In Leviticus 19, we discover that holiness has always meant loving God has always meant loving action by caring for the vulnerable and creating space for others. This series helps us rediscover holiness, not as rule-keeping, but as radical compassion rooted in God’s character.

     But that is hard, especially in a world that rewards people for grabbing every inch they can. We live in a culture where margin is rare. Everyone is busy, broke, or burned out. So we cling to what we have, saying “mine” like a kid with their toys.

     Whenever our family goes out to eat, there is a rule that Jaedyn has. It is: “Jaedyn doesn’t share food.” If you try to take something off her plate, you are at risk of getting stabbed with a fork. Even if you are reaching for something along the edges, Jaedyn will glare at you with an attitude that says, “Mine.”

     Jaedyn is not the only one who does that. Most of us do it with our time, our money, our energy. We draw a line around what’ve earned and say, “That’s mine.” We are taught to harvest to the edges, squeezing as much of out life as we can get.

     While we are all that way, God is the opposite. Not only is He the opposite, God calls us to the opposite. Let us look at what Leviticus says.

Leviticus 19:9-10 (CEB)

9 When you harvest your land’s produce, you must not harvest all the way to the edge of your field; and don’t gather up every remaining bit of your harvest. 10 Also do not pick your vineyard clean or gather up all the grapes that have fallen there. Leave these items for the poor and the immigrant; I am the LORD your God. 

This is the word of God

For the people of God

Thanks be to God

     As soon as some of you heard “Leviticus,” you groaned. It is a book of the Bible seen as the place where reading plans go to die. But did you know that Leviticus is actually a handbook for how to worship God? Chapters 17-26 lay out what it looks like to live in covenant with a holy God.

     Leviticus 19 is at the heart of this holiness code, and verses 9-10 are the first part of a five-fold command that shows how holiness plays out in our relationships. In short: Holiness starts at the edge of your field.

     Verse 9 essentially says, “leave the edges.” A farmer works hard to maintain their land so that it will produce a harvest. That harvest is the means to the survival of their family, both providing food and income. The more of a harvest there is, the better off they are. So it would make sense to try to collect everything. But God says, “Leave the edges.” That word “edge” refers to the margins. Holiness is not taking all you have earned; it means leaving space for someone else’s survival.

     If we read into verse 10, hoping to find a loophole, it only gets worse. Essentially, verse 10 says, “Leave the gleanings.” In the vineyard, there would be olives or grapes high up in the trees that get missed. Some will fall due to winds, storms, or wildlife. Again, these items provide for the family. But God tells them not to go out and collect what is missed. God tells them to leave them behind intentionally.

     God closes out this command with, “I am the LORD your God.” The reason God commands this is not about economics or politics. It is about worship. This command is grounded in God’s own character. He is saying, “This is who I am. And if you are my people, this is what you will do.”

     Ok, so what does this teach us? What does this have to do with Jesus’s command for us to “Love God and love people”? Holiness is not about squeezing every drop out of life. It is about making space for someone else to live.

     Now, let me be clear. This is not a political sermon. It is not about government mandates or partisan policies. This is about us as the people of God and how we reflect His character in our lives. We do not need a program to be holy, we need to be obedient. And holiness, according to God starts with how we treat the vulnerable.

     The unspoken rule of our world is: Get as much as you can, use what you earn, and let others fend for themselves. God’s law made room for the vulnerable, and His people were expected to build these margins into their everyday lives. Not as charity, but as obedience. God calls us to self-giving love.

     We see this command play out in the book of Ruth. Ruth is gleaning in a field because Boaz follows the command in Leviticus 19. Boaz leaves room for the vulnerable. Ruth was able to receive God’s love through Boaz’s kindness.

     This reflects God’s heart for us. We were lost and floundering in sin, unworthy of His grace. But because God loved us, He sent Jesus. Jesus came and did not just give from His abundance; He gave His very life. You and I were the ones in need, and Jesus made room for us. Now we are called to go and do likewise as our reasonable act of worship.

     How do we live this out? Where is there no margin in your life? Maybe we have maxed out our time to the point where there is no room for compassion. Perhaps we have accounted for every dollar, but with none held open-handed. Who have we overlooked? In our churches and neighborhoods, who is like Ruth gleaning the field that we have never noticed? When we do notice them, they need to be more than our charity case. They need to be invited into our hearts so they can glimpse the heart of Jesus.

     Holy people make space because a holy God made space for them. Holiness is about participation in God’s mercy. He made room for us. Now it is our turn.

     Leave some room this week. In your time. In your budget. In your conversations. And trust God to use what you leave behind to bless someone else.