Sharing Dessert (09/24/2022)

You know one of the best things about having dinner out with friends? Sharing! When I go out with friends, it’s not uncommon that I share my dishes with others: give them a taste or offer them half. I remember well last summer when I was out with two dear friends. We had a delightful evening of conversation and good food. At the end of dinner, we learned there were two delicious desserts featured that evening. So, we decided to get one of each and split each three ways. The waitress brought the two desserts out, each with three spoons. We divided them up into three parts and transferred the parts evenly between three plates. And then we dug in! We agreed they were the best desserts we’d had. There is something about sharing that makes something better.

It's not just the good shared that is better; it’s the not good, the difficult, the challenges, the pain that is shared that is eased which makes it better, too. That’s a part of relationships we sometimes forget. I wonder why? Jesus spoke to us about both. In Matthew 25, Jesus reminds us that we are to care for one another in difficult times understanding that whatever we do for another, we do for Him.

And in Matthew 11, Jesus reminds us that when we come to Him with burdens, He will give us rest. And when the prodigal son returned in the parable in Luke, we recall how the Father wanted to share the joy with others and hosted a party as did the woman who found the coin. Good or not so good is better shared.

As we continue on our way in faith, hope and love, let us keep our eyes and ears open so that we can spot another who is going through difficult times and walk with them a while, even offer to carry part of their burdens. And let us also commit to sharing the joy of others whom we accompany knowing that their joy does not diminish ours, their accomplishments do not diminish ours. We were created for relationships, so let us live these fully and share the good and the bad knowing that in the sharing both are better.

And let us also hold tightly onto the relationship with our LORD knowing we can take the difficult and painful to the LORD and the LORD will help us somehow. But let us also take the joy to the LORD with hearts full of praise and thanksgiving for the goodness that is because of the LORD’s love that permeates all. The LORD deserves the desserts as well as the difficulties, don’t you think?

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.