Leaving Margins in Your Field

Boaz told his foremen, ”Leave some stalks of grain behind so that Ruth may come behind and glean in our fields. And don’t embarrass her in any way!” (from Ruth 2:15-16) Our staff recently returned from a national Christian camping conference where the speaker, Pastor Bryan Loritts from Memphis, Tennessee spoke from this passage; the hearts of the entire staff were stirred as he shared this principle: The principle of allowing margins in our lives: Boaz provided margins in his fields by telling his workers to leave some behind; “don’t pick up every sheaf… leave some for the needy… leave something for those who are willing to work for their bread… we have enough, we don’t need it all.”

This is a wonderful picture; I see it often from the farmer who wants to make sure the pheasants and deer have enough food to make it through an Iowa winter by leaving the last 4 rows of corn. I see it in some homes where boxes and boxes of food are packaged up and given to the hungry. I see it here at camp when families are struggling along, living pay check to paycheck, and we are able to say, “ No problem, Come on and come to camp. We have room and let’s not worry about the fees.”

We purposely have built in margins into Hidden Acres' finances. Even in the early years when we found ourselves short, we always attempted to show mercy and margins with our summer campers. Why? It is very simple, “The gospel can’t penetrate a heart of the young person if he isn’t at camp, but stays home loafing around the house!” Empty beds cannot be ministered to. I want kids to come to know Christ!”

I love that theme of building margins in our lives. I was young and stupid once; and went into debt for stuff and house. When I freed myself of debt, I felt a big burden slide off my back; I began to build in financial margins into my life; not building wealth, but opening up more opportunities to give.

Charles Wesley built in margins into his life: He determined that 29 pounds was an adequate sum to live on each year. When the royalty checks began to arrive, he still determined that 29 pounds was adequate to live on, and gave the rest away.

I do have to admit, I don’t build any margins in my life when it come to mercy, or gentleness, or kindness. My driver personality gets in my way at times and blocks out seasons of mercy and gentleness. “ Lord help me to let my margins along my fields to grow wider and heavier for the Lost!”

For us this Christmas time, we have built into our calendar a month of margins; it is our slowest month of the year and we use this time to reconnect with family, to plan for the upcoming year, and to renew our spiritual lives. Workers without margins in their life burn out and leave.

I won’t say it too loudly but I pray you have created some margins with your gift giving. I have been around for 54 Christmas’ and I honestly don’t remember a gift that was memorable; the gifts was nice stuff to have, but there has been nothing that I received that I still cherish and keep. Enuf said!

I trust we understand and know what our 29 pounds looks like, and have the self control to live on our 29 pounds each year and give back to those in need.

Wishing you and your family the very best!

....Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth; Obed the father of Jesse, and Jesse the father of King David.....and Jacob the father of Joseph of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ. Matthew 1:1-16

Written by:
Earl Taylor, Director of Vision and Design
Hidden Acres Christian Center, Dayton, Iowa
earldtaylor@yahoo.com
....Hidden Acres is the youth camp and retreat center owned by the Evangelical Free Churches of Iowa, South Dakota, and Missouri.