By Dr. Rebekah McCloud
The dictionary says, a crumb is a very small piece broken from a baked item, such as a cookie, cake, or bread. It’s also a small fragment, scrap, or portion.
A crumb can be viewed as something good or something bad; as a positive or a negative thing. It depends on if we see the container as half full or half empty. It depends on if we see abundance or lack. I like to see abundance.
Question: What can you do with crumbs? Have you ever eaten something that was so good that you moistened your finger tips to pick up every crumb? I have.
Have you ever used bread crumbs to enhance a recipe? I have. Crumbs can be used to make a good pan of dressing, a sweet bread pudding, a juicy meatloaf, a savory casserole, homemade crotons or you can use them to “sop up” some gravy. Yum, Yum!
Momma told me that when she was growing up, they were so poor that her mother would save the bread crumbs and crust and once a week she would put them in a bowl and pour buttermilk over them. That would be their dinner. Question: Abundance or lack?
In Luke 16:21 we read that Lazarus was longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table. Question: Abundance or lack? The Bible says when Lazarus died, “the angels carried him to Abraham’s side.”
In Matthew 15:27, we read about the Canaanite woman who said, “The dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.” Question: Abundance or lack? The Bible says that because the woman had great faith, the Lord granted her request and “her daughter was healed at that moment.”
The Bible is filled with stories of abundance—of the Lord taking the crumbs and doing a lot with them. You know the story of Elijah’s encounter with the widow who had a handful of flour in a jar and a little oil in a jug. After she obediently used her crumbs—the last that she had—to make a cake for Elijah, her jar and jug were miraculously filled. You also know the story of how Jesus fed five thousand with two fish and five loaves of bread. And, when the meal was finished, the Bible says, “the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.” They collected all the crumbs. In each story, a little was turned into a lot.
Luke 16:10 reminds us that, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.”
Scripture further tells us about abundance, “The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want…Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart… God gives you power to get wealth… The blessing of the Lord makes one rich …In all labor there is profit… A good measure pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be poured into your lap. 2 Corinthians 8:14 says in part, “your plenty will supply what they need, so that in turn their plenty will supply what you need.” Amen.
Whether we have a few crumbs or a lot of crumbs, we must keep our eyes on Jesus. We cannot let the stress and the noise of life cloud our vision or hinder us from hearing God’s still, small voice. Proverbs 17:1 says, “Better a dry crust with peace and quiet than a house full of feasting, with strife.” Amen.
Can we trust our awesome God to do a lot with the little crumbs we have? I say yes, Lord, yes.
2 Corinthians 9:8 says, “God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”
God is the giver and multiplier of our crumbs. God is a God of abundance! Amen. Question: What will you do with your crumbs? Abundance or lack?